Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 10) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 10

Series: Sakamoto Days #10

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5 | Sakamoto Days #6 | Sakamoto Days #7 | Sakamoto Days #8 | Sakamoto Days #9

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: December 2023

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

As Sakamoto and his friends hunt for the database at the JCC, Shin winds up in a serious duel with a teacher who might have information on what they want. Meanwhile, Sakamoto deals with Amane, a boy with a connection to X. Thanks to X’s schemes, the JCC faces an unprecedented crisis!

My rating: ★★★★⯪

This was such a fun volume! There were so many fun moments and just bickering between the characters, which is actually one of my favorite things about this series. Lol.

Review: Spy x Family (Vol. 4) by Tatsuya Endo

Title: Spy x Family: Volume 4

Series: Spy x Family #4

Previous books in this series: Spy x Family (#1) | Spy x Family (#2) | Spy x Family (#3)

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Genre: YA, adventure, humor

Publication date: March 2021

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!

The Forgers look into adding a dog to their family, but this is no easy task—especially when Twilight has to simultaneously foil an assassination plot against a foreign minister! The perpetrators plan to use trained dogs for the attack, but Twilight gets some unexpected help to stop these terrorists.

My rating: ★★★★★

Bond! I love Bond!

Review: Kindergarten Wars (Vol. 2) by You Chiba

Title: Kindergarten Wars Vol. 2

Series: Kindergarten Wars #2

Previous book in this series: Kindergarten Wars #1

Author: You Chiba

Genre: YA, manga, action, humor

Publication date: September 2025

Published by: Yen Press

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: The new employee, Hana, has suddenly turned traitor! But then she’s shot by the true mastermind behind it all, her own father...Just when all seems lost, Rita, thought to have perished in an explosion, appears on the scene! Who will take charge during the deadliest playtime of all? 

My rating: ★★★★⯪

The last volume ended in a bit of a cliffhanger, so we finally got a resolution to that situation at the beginning of this volume. And all I have to say is that Hanna’s father is insane. Even after everything Hanna did/tried to do, I felt SO bad for her! 😩

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 9) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 9

Series: Sakamoto Days #9

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5 | Sakamoto Days #6 | Sakamoto Days #7 | Sakamoto Days #8

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: August 2023

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

Sakamoto comes running to Shin’s aid and clashes violently with Shinaya, who’s being controlled by Gaku! Our heroes are striving to get information on X, who continues to operate in the shadows, but nothing has gone as planned during the JCC transfer test. How will it all end?!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In this volume, we finally find out how Sakamoto and Shin did on the exam and whether they got into assassin school. And let me just say, the results were hilarious.

Review: Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 8) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 8

Series: Sakamoto Days #8

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5 | Sakamoto Days #6 | Sakamoto Days #7

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: June 2023

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

In the third stage of the JCC transfer test, the participants are divided into multiple teams for a deadly game of “tail tag.” Three applicants, who have skipped the opening stages of the exam because of special endorsements from seasoned assassins, cause a stir with their disturbing styles. Meanwhile, Shin is determined to show Mr. Sakamoto—who just so happens to be an opponent in this round—that he’s made progress!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In this volume, we continue to follow the characters as they try to complete the entrance exam to get into assassin school. Specifically, stage three, the final stage, of the exam.

Review: Spy x Family (Vol. 3) by Tatsuya Endo

Title: Spy x Family: Volume 3

Series: Spy x Family #3

Previous books in this series: Spy x Family (#1) | Spy x Family (#2)

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Genre: YA, adventure, humor

Publication date: January 2020

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!

Twilight has overcome many challenges in putting together the Forger family, but now all his hard work might come undone when Yor’s younger brother Yuri pops in for a surprise visit! Can Twilight outsmart Yuri, who actually works for the Ostanian secret service?!

My rating: ★★★★★

I love this series so much! I think that goes without saying at this point, but I’m gonna say it anyway 😆

Review: Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 7) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 7

Series: Sakamoto Days #7

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5 | Sakamoto Days #6

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: June 2022

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

Sakamoto and X finally face off! Although Sakamoto has vowed not to kill, X shakes him up by threatening his family. How will Sakamoto fare when confronted with an enemy who has a bloodthirsty grudge against the JAA?!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In this volume, Sakamoto and friends are trying to get into the JCC assassin school to get some information... as students. Lol. I thought this was really funny. And I just really enjoyed this volume in general.

Review: Kaiju No. 8 (Vol. 1) by Naoya Matsumoto

Title: Kaiju No. 8 Vol.1

Series: Kaiju No. 8 #1

Author: Naoya Matsumoto

Genre: YA, manga, action

Publication date: December 2020

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he’s become one himself?!

Kafka hopes to one day keep his pact with his childhood friend Mina to join the Japan Defense Force and fight by her side. But while she’s out neutralizing kaiju as Third Division captain, Kafka is stuck cleaning up the aftermath of her battles. When a sudden rule change makes Kafka eligible for the Defense Force, he decides to try out for the squad once more. There’s just one problem—he’s made the Defense Force’s neutralization list under the code name Kaiju No. 8.

My rating: ★★★★⯪

I really liked this manga! I loved the premise and the execution was great!

Review: Spy x Family (Vol. 2) by Tatsuya Endo

Title: Spy x Family: Volume 2

Series: Spy x Family #2

Previous book in this series: Spy x Family (#1)

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Genre: YA, adventure, humor

Publication date: October 2019

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Twilight must infiltrate the prestigious Eden Academy to get close to his target Donovan Desmond, but has he ruined his daughter Anya’s chances with his outburst during the admissions interview? Perhaps the truly impossible mission this time is making sure Anya both becomes an exemplary student and befriends Donovan’s arrogant son Damian!

My rating: ★★★★★

At this point, it has been quite a while since I watched the anime, so when I read this volume, there were a bunch of things I forgot. For example, I forgot that Anya wanted a castle! Lol. Or that Yor (being the assassin she is) momentarily thought about killing one of the parents to get Anya into the fancy private school. Lol.

Review: Spy x Family (Vol. 1) by Tatsuya Endo

Title: Spy x Family: Volume 1

Series: Spy x Family # 1

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Genre: YA, adventure, humor

Publication date: July 2019

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Master spy Twilight is the best at what he does when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions in the name of a better world. But when he receives the ultimate impossible assignment—get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!

Not one to depend on others, Twilight has his work cut out for him procuring both a wife and a child for his mission to infiltrate an elite private school. What he doesn’t know is that the wife he’s chosen is an assassin and the child he’s adopted is a telepath!

My rating: ★★★★★

I love the anime adaptation of the series so much! Around the time I started watching it, I was also wanting to get into more manga, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to start the manga of this series. And unsurprisingly, I loved it!

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 6) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 6

Series: Sakamoto Days #6

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4 | Sakamoto Days #5

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: March 2022

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

Dangerous serial killers clash with the Order and Sakamoto’s crew clash! As the battles rage on, Sakamoto undergoes an unexpected transformation. Meanwhile, the evil mastermind X reveals his true intent, which sends shock waves through the assassin world!

My rating: ★★★⯪☆

I am obviously still enjoying this series. Lol. It's really fun, has a ton of action, and I just really love the characters. The banter between Lu and Shin, in particular, cracks me up. I love it! 😆

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 5) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 5

Series: Sakamoto Days #5

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3 | Sakamoto Days #4

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: January 2022

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

The situation is fraught during the casino battle between Sakamoto’s staff and the Chinese triad. Can they protect Lu and get info on the bounty?! To make matters worse, the very worst assassins from overseas are gunning for Sakamoto!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In the last volume, we saw the arrival of Wutang, who worked for the Triad and came to take Lu back. Thus ensued some fun shenanigans that would determine Lu's fate. Spoiler alert:

The Triad turned on Wutang and now he's ALSO working in Sakamoto's store 🤣

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 4) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 4

Series: Sakamoto Days #4

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days #1 | Sakamoto Days #2 | Sakamoto Days #3

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: November 2010

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

The race to rescue Lu takes Sakamoto and Shin deep into an underground lab. However, they’re not the only ones there on a mission—the legendary members of the ORDER are there as well to investigate the mysterious X!

My rating: ★★★★☆

This volume wraps up the story from the last one, where Sakamoto and Shin go rescue Lu after she was mistakenly thought to be Shin.. Somehow? Lol. That entire story and the fight sequences in that lab were so good! I really enjoyed it! There was this one guy with the stitches and the weapons... absolutely horrific! 😰 I loved it!

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 3) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 3

Series: Sakamoto Days #3

Previous books in this series: Sakamoto Days (#1) | Sakamoto Days #2

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: September 2021

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

Team Sakamoto enters an airsoft tournament organized by the shopping arcade in the hopes of winning the million-yen prize. However, things don’t go as planned and they find themselves teaming up with a not-so-sharp sniper called Heisuke. Meanwhile, some shady characters connected to the secret organization that raised Shin are on their way to Sakamoto’s...

My rating: ★★★★★

It had been a while since I last read an installment in this series, and I almost forgot how fun it was!

Review: Venus in the Blind Spot by Junji Ito

Title: Venus in the Blind Spot

Author: Junji Ito

Genre: Adult, manga, horror

Publication date: February 2019

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Gifted

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Synopsis: This striking collection presents the most remarkable short works of Junji Ito’s career, featuring an adaptation of Rampo Edogawa’s classic horror story “The Human Chair” and fan favorite “The Enigma of Amigara Fault.” With a deluxe presentation—including special color pages, and showcasing illustrations from his acclaimed long-form manga No Longer Human—each chilling tale invites readers to revel in a world of terror.

My rating: ★★★⯪☆

I love manga, and I love horror, but even I find it hard to believe that I still had not read any Junji Ito thus far in my life. Lol. Luckily, that's finally changed! Lol.

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 2) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 2

Series: Sakamoto Days #2

Previous book in this series: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 1

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, manga, adventure

Publication date: June 2021

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

Shin faces off with a strange assassin who’s targeting Mr. Sakamoto, but how will he manage against a foe whose thoughts are unreadable? Then, the Sakamoto gang does their best to enjoy a peaceful family outing at the amusement park, only to be rudely interrupted by a pair of menacing assassins. Can Mr. Sakamoto and his buddies take care of them without his family noticing?

My rating: ★★★★☆

I was SO excited to read this volume because I was loving the setting in the amusement park! And then the last volume ended just when things were getting exciting. Lol. But this volume was a ton of fun too!

Review: Sakamoto Days (Vol. 1) by Yuto Suzuki

Title: Sakamoto Days: Vol. 1

Series: Sakamoto Days #1

Author: Yuto Suzuki

Genre: YA, action, humor

Publication date: April 2022

Published by: VIZ Media

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: Taro Sakamoto was once a legendary hit man considered the greatest of all time. Bad guys feared him! Assassins revered him! But then one day he quit, got married, and had a baby. He’s now living the quiet life as the owner of a neighborhood store, but how long can Sakamoto enjoy his days of retirement before his past catches up to him?!

Time has passed peacefully for Sakamoto since he left the underworld. He’s running a neighborhood store with his lovely wife and child and has gotten a bit…out of shape. But one day a figure from his past pays him a visit with an offer he can’t refuse: return to the assassin world or die!

My rating: ★★★★☆

I've been on a manga kick lately, so I'm glad this one was recommended to me because I really enjoyed it!

Review: Kindergarten Wars (Vol. 1) by You Chiba

Title: Kindergarten Wars Vol. 1

Series: Kindergarten Wars #1

Author: You Chiba

Genre: YA, manga, action, humor

Publication date: May 2025

Published by: Yen Press

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: IT’S PLAYTIME!

Rita is Convict No. 999, a former legendary assassin who now works at a kindergarten for the children of the world’s most powerful people. Her job is to protect the kids from the clutches of would-be kidnappers and contract killers. But even with her overwhelming strength, Rita has one fatal flaw―she falls head over heels for good-looking men, even if they’re her enemies! Can she find the hottie soulmate of her dreams amid the chaos at the “world’s safest kindergarten”?

My rating: ★★★★★

I don't even remember how I found out about this manga, but I'm glad I did because I freaking loved it!

The thing that caught my attention about this series was the premise of former assassins working at a kindergarten to protect the kids of the rich and powerful. But it's more than that:

Review: A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation (Vol. 4) by Misaki, Momochi, & Sando

Title: A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation: Volume 4

Series: A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation #4

Previous books in this series: A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation #1 | A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation #2 | A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation #3

Author: Misaki

Artists: Momochi, Sando

Genre: YA, manga, fantasy, adventure

Publication date: June 2021

Published by: TOKYOPOP

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: When Lizel mysteriously finds himself in a city that bears odd similarities to his own but clearly isn't, he quickly comes to terms with the unlikely truth: this is an entirely different world. Even so, laid-back Lizel isn't the type to panic. He immediately sets out to learn more about this strange place, and to help him do so, hires a seasoned adventurer named Gil as his tour guide and protector.

Until he's able to find a way home, Lizel figures this is a perfect opportunity to explore a new way of life adventuring as part of a guild. After all, he's sure he'll go home eventually... might as well enjoy the otherworldly vacation for now!

My rating: ★★★☆☆

In this volume of A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation, we learn more about the snake guy, Eleven, who's been really wanting to join Lizel. He's such a weird guy, but I've been really looking forward to learning about him. But now that we did, I'm still not sure how I feel about him. He was giving me sociopathic vibes, but maybe I've just been watching too much Criminal Minds 😆

Review: Cells at Work! (Vol. 6) by Akane Shimizu

Title: Cells at Work!: Vol. 6

Series: Cells at Work! #6

Previous books in this series: Cells at Work! #1 | Cells at Work! #2 | Cells at Work! #3 | Cells at Work! #4 | Cells at Work! #5

Author: Akane Shimizu

Genre: YA, manga, science, action

Publication date: August 2021

Published by: Kodansha Comics

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis: White Blood Cell, Red Blood Cell, Macrophage, and the cute little Platelets face a threat unlike any they've ever dealt with before: COVID-19! But even this threat can be defeated, as long as everyone works together. The uplifting and informative series comes to a close with one last tour of the hardworking body, featuring "left shift" in the blood, retinal degeneration, and a simple bump on the noggin. But, of course, as long as there's a job to do, this team won't quit!

My rating: ★★★★☆

In this last volume of the series 😭, the first chapter revolved around a bump on the head and what happens internally in that situation. I’ll tell you what happens: the little platelets being adorable and working together 🥹