Manga Spotlight

Unmatched cuteness! A fearsome villain who has his day off, wanders through other people's (normal?) lives. What we don't expect? His weaknesses are animals! How hilarious is it when someone like him can't even take a bite of food in the form of pandas? Read the manga to find it out yourself!

The manga is incredibly easy to read. Before you know it, you'll have reached chapter 10 and further.

Perfectly fit when you're in need of something to relax.



I'll add more to this later, because 80 words isn't truly enough.

This is a story situated in both the 18th and 19th centuries, in northern and central France.
Jean Valjean, a guy who has to feed his entire family consisting of at least 7 children on his own by providing every single sou* of his meager earnings, lives a poor life, though the days of peaceful poverty aren't lasting forever. His short end of the stick struck like a lightning bolt: He lost his job and couldn't feed them anymore. Necessity to steal bread arose, but he was caught and sent to prison for years. After he ended his 19 year prison sentence, all his family members were dead. Living like a vagabond and a thief, he ended up in a place where he met Monsieur Myriel, a bishop who became the first one to ever genuinely care for him like a true Christian. Disarmed by his sincerity, he vowed to live the same way. Not long after, he met others who also lived on the verge of society, the "losers" of the bunch. He adopted an orphaned girl Cosette and gave her everything she deserved after a long timespan of pseudo slavery. Marius, another person whose father lived in disgrace, was connected to the Revolutionaries, and met Cosette as though fate wanted it to be. Can Jean Valjean keep his secret past as an ex-convict safe from everyone around him to keep the happy days going?

"O Fortune, like the moon you are changeable, ever waxing, ever waning; hateful life, first oppresses, and then soothes, playing with mental clarity; poverty, and power, it melts them like ice." Seriously, how suitable can this centuries-old poem be? Fate is fickle, one moment it can be caring, and the next it can punch you in the face. Nobody is safe, nobody can escape. Everyone's equal in fate's eyes, in stark contrast to humans: How fair is it to receive a 19 year sentence for only a small robbery and trying to escape from prison? Even murderers get a softer penalty than Jean. This kind of irony is present throughout the entire story. Saving someone can get you in trouble, being a caring human can lead to being arrested.

Fight, fight, and continue to fight. Don't give up, for that will spell your doom. Everyone is persistently holding on, but "trop est trop". Breaking points exist, and more than one person does not see another way out of it than suicide... How many times have I thought that a character has been through a lot? Too many times to count on my fingers. Truth is, all important characters have had to wrestle through a heavy existence, with ups and downs, but more misfortune than fortune that I had to edit the keyword "tragedy" to "misfortune", as that embraces this story quite a lot more than the previous one.

A fascinating manga about a 21st century Japanese girl who suddenly finds herself in Japan’s 1500s era: the Sengoku period. With the everlasting dangers around her, she has to make use of everything she can think of to make the poor people’s lives better, including her own. Ever since her arrival, time and time again she’s proven to be an extremely valuable asset to Oda Nobunaga, who keeps this mysterious person closely by his side, not underestimating her value and intelligence. She even has tamed wolves to stay near/at her home (when she's away)!

The manga makes use of countless interesting agricultural features, combined with some medical and technological features. This was honestly so cool and interesting that I can encourage it to everyone who’s even slightly interested in historical farming and/or (historical) technology.

This manga is an amazing ride between learning things yourself, her showing off (but not boastingly), and making suffering people happy/happier, however, there commonly are scenes where the stakes are high and severe repercussions are possible in the case of defeat.

A young boy who gets bullied at school, doesn't feel any emotion at all (or so it looks like). He lets himself be a punching bag without resisting, taking hits even though later it becomes clear he could perfectly dodge all punches thrown at him. When a boxing coach checks out the area for hidden talented youngsters, his eyes fall on the main character Yu, and eventually he teaches him how to box at a professional level. At a rapid rate, he is in the center of attention, climbing up the ranks, forging a sturdy boxing career.

The manhwa has some interestingly deep philosophy and existential questions, symbolism and awesome characters who have well-thought backstories. Many outcomes of the boxing matches were seriously breathtaking, leaving a feeling of melancholy for the reader. The main character is not some sort of invincible hero, rather someone who's excellent at hiding his pain and emotions, trying to ignore other people's pain because his own is already overwhelming and he can't take any more.

This manhwa starts out zero to hero, but don't be mistaken, it doesn't stay as superficial as it started (and it wasn't even truly superficial to begin with).



This manga has been removed from the club relations Apr 20th, 2023 due to popularity (>25k members).

A girl who one day finds a penguin in her fridge, decides to keep it, fails to keep it a secret from all her friends (not purely her fault), gets free food to give the penguin every day, and takes care of him day in day out. Together they adventure, be it in the bathroom, the living room, the beach or on a snowy hill, wherever she wants to.

The manga has top-notch comedy. It has been a while since I found a manga that could make me laugh almost with every chapter. Probably what makes it work is that Emperor (the penguin) doesn't talk and that's a good thing! He can make his wishes and desires clear with his behavior.

Specialized in familial context, this cheerful story offers the reader at least an hour of fun. Not enough manga have a penguin as a main character, so if you've not read one yet, why not make this one your first?

Imagine being so gifted at reading people's behavior that you can solve the most difficult cases of people who've been traumatized, used and/or abused, or have an immense social anxiety, but you yourself don't feel pity for their sufferings, nor are you able to show affection. To have another pair of eyes working together with him in case he goes overboard and to help his assistant learn the ropes, the two of them combine forces.

The manhwa has stunning psychological drama. And did I mention already how realistically those stories actually are shown to us? For example, people lying about something because they feel like it's better for the person they're talking to (out of good will), only to have it backfire later on.

This manhwa can make you ponder on how your body language reflects your state of mind and your unspoken thoughts. Also, learning a tiny bit about how to deal with various issues concerning the human psyche shouldn't be something you'd never be using during your lifetime, even if you're not aware of it yet right now.

Two young boys at the countryside grow up as brothers in France's 19th century. The oldest brother Vincent van Gogh, who is a famous painter, wasn't known yet at that time. He's timid and exempt of any feeling of hate, has a passion for drawing and painting that which he sees through his own eyes and that captures him. His younger brother Theodorus is blessed with an exceptional mind and intellect, but failed at what he wanted most: being able to paint. Of course there's the nobility versus commonfolk subject: rich people loved to look down upon others who looked poor. When Theodorus tries to interfere with the business of the aristocrats who only sell "magnificent" paintings, he's able to involve the commoners' opinion on paintings in general, but it doesn't work out easily.

The manga has artwork à la Blue Period: It is great to look at art in art. It reads like a train, with only 12 chapters, the pacing is never lacking.

This manga almost made me cry several times. I knew it had the Drama genre, but still I did not expect it to become that emotional.

Nicknamed "The People's Knight", Bard Loen is a humble, retired swordmaster with a big heart in the right place.
Together with his horse Stablos this duo travels through different regions of their world, enjoying the various foods, sceneries and cultures.
Nevertheless, he can't help but be pulled in by his ties to the past when certain greedy people set gears into motion to claim more land at the cost of others.

If you enjoyed Golden Kamuy's cooking scenes, this will be a pleasure for your eyes. The author manages to create yummy foods and stories filled with (lore about) plants, animals and monsters.

The manga is a calm ride with loads of adventure and here and there a speck of emotion. It is fundamentally different from the many action isekai and action fantasy manga, with a main character that has a pure, likable charm which makes the entire story have a lighter tone, and the action does not primarily stem from the main character's actions.

A walking talking source of knowledge and intellect though with a weird name, Totonou Kunou is a young man who gets involved with several mysteries without truly wanting to be a part of it, however fate just decides for him instead. Stoically and with a poker face at all times, he is able to get to the bottom of anything that's going on, no matter how delicate the situation.
Being wrongly accused of murder? "Yeah, not happening, I've taken account of the smallest details that prove my innocence and simultaneously your blunders."
Being kidnapped by what look like psychos out for revenge? "Let's talk facts here, I'll observe what happens and how everyone reacts, therefore I can confirm my presumptions about these guys while also keeping an eye open for the other hostages."

Like earlier mentioned, the main character knows a lot. You, the reader, will probably see him as another Socrates: "why is this...", "why is that..." and so on, for even the most reasonable takes generally accepted in society, and after some thinking by yourself, you may come to the conclusion... that it isn't all that normal indeed.
Aside from the questions he frequently asks the people around him, he gives a plethora of information just by blurting it out in the moment even when nobody asks for it.

If you're looking for a manga that will make your IQ rise, read this one (chuckles). At least you'll become more critical and don't just assume anything you see on the surface level. Its pacing isn't fast, but you can clearly see the effort the mangaka puts into this manga from the very beginning.

Seas, oceans and rivers... are places where boats and planes sink, people drown and are nearly impossible to retrieve from the bottom. That is, if they don't receive the help from salvors who are specialized in this dire task of raising the ship wreck or other remains by fighting against the currents: Even the JSDF (Japanese Self-Defense Forces) or the Coast Guards are powerless when it comes down to salvage on the seabed. Nanba Rintarou, son of a salvor, despises his father and his father's work, until he gets to know what has been kept from him and what eventually made him regret his hatred. A 180 follows and from there on the main character florishes, with a solid team of experienced salvors who are slowly coming to respect their young boss.

The two best aspects of these manga are: 1) the adventures, difficulties, friendships and emotional rushes, and 2) the characters.
There aren't many arcs in this manga. Every one except the introduction is centered around a certain obstacle they need to overcome using their salvage skills, and seeing as this doesn't happen on just the most common places this is really interesting. The characters are impeccable! You can see their growth and their true nature sprout from their closed-off shells. Even when there's not that much of backstory time, there is enough for every important character to reveal their hidden sides.

If you want to read a manga about what looks like possibly real salvage, you absolutely cannot go wrong with this one. If you want to learn more about dangers on the sea, this manga welcomes you with open arms, inviting you to open up a world many people haven't seen.

A bookworm who is able to instantly be taken in by any kind of book, but due to his roots and physical appearance is shunned and bullied in his village, can barely receive the opportunity to hold a book in his own hands, even with the help of the library owner's daughter. When Kafna (librarians working at the library of a huge city) arrive in his village, they immediately are an example of what Theo is looking to become. Receiving an extraordinary book by Sedona Bleu herself, a famous Kafna, he makes a promise with her to see her again in Aftzaak, the City of Books. When he enrolls the course to become a Kafna (which was mainly seen as a profession for women), he notices he's behind quite a lot compared to others who've been studying scriptures for years, though that doesn't hinder him from pushing forward diligently.

My first thoughts reading this were: "Aaaaaa let me give you a hug". There are quite a lot of emotional, precious, wholesome and captivating moments in this manga, and I can't seem to do them enough justice. Theo communicates with animals because the other villagers are yet again bullying him, that is an example of his quasi loneliness: There literally isn't anyone like him around anymore, half-elf half-human hybrids were extremely rare. The art is superb and I'm not lying when I say that it is at the top (with a couple other manga) of the best artwork of all the manga I've read.

Even when this concept might look just like another Black Clover variant, this manga is not an action manga, nor a Shounen with hype moments and a bunch of fights. Instead, it offers a calm Slice of Life view on how to realize your dreams.

As you would expect, a softie hasn't got a chance to survive being caught up in the criminal circuits. However, when this assassin and hitman "The Fable" is pushed to live a year of normal life with his "sister" by his superior, their identities and personalities are recreated to stay undercover. When he is being suspected of hiding something, he is able to casually brush it off, but when bystanders and colleagues become involved in their conflict, his skillset is necessary to tilt the balance in his favor again.

The author isn't shy of showing us the grim background of - and darkened gears behind undercover missions, yakuza's and assassins' plotting for some benefit at the cost of others, neither is he holding back creating rough edges, literally (his artwork) and figuratively (nudity, and diverse characters who (surprisingly) simultaneously aren't that different from each other).

Do you want to read a manga that is resourceful about the "dark environment", with a main character that knows what he's doing? Then it is safe to say you'll like this crime manga. The evil isn't exactly ignorant, albeit some individuals are aiming too high for their plans to actually work out in the end.



This manga has been removed from the club relations Nov 11th, 2022 due to popularity (>25k members).

Named after the four Town Musicians of Bremen*: Follow four eccentric young musicians create a band to perform hardrock at their own terms, each represents an image of the four animals in the German fairy tale. The main lead Romio Kasuga has amnesia and finds people who have their own miserable issues to deal with, but he extends his hand to convince them to follow him and through the pain and unluck, the four have loads of fun, can't quit joking and honor hardrock mentality by utilizing crude words and swearing seriously often.

The main characters have a close bond since they really care for each other deep inside; that makes them such an amiable group, you'll find yourself immersed in the story that heavily relies on the characters and their motivations to stay in their band Bremen to perform on stage.
I do have to warn you, the pre-ending was a bummer (around Ch 80). This does NOT mean it isn't worth reading!! 95% of this manga is nothing short of awesome IMO.

Like Detroit Metal City, this manga has an abundance of vulgarity mixed with comedy that barely has any boundaries. If you are able to stand or enjoy that, I can surely recommend this manga to you.



*Check the image inside the spoiler tag of Ch 64 to see how it's really obvious.

How does it feel like to constantly be reminded of your dead sister whenever you see your boyfriend? Terrible, by the looks of this manga. Natsumi and Tougo are unable to do anything that has nothing to do with Haru, Natsumi's younger sister who died leaving behind this curse. Step by step the two try to find a way to stay with each other, what proves to be difficult due to disagreement from Tougo's family.
When will they eventually escape Haru's seemingly firm grasp of control over their lives?

Everyone keeps secrets, small ones, big ones or both. In this short manga, the author has made that very clear. Guilt especially is notorious for being a heavy weight on someone's mind, dragging them down to a disaster.
The psychological drama was overwhelming, I couldn't stop reading and in what seemed only half an hour I completed this manga.

If you want a story that has twists and turns, desires and lies, and happiness but sadness to tear down all fake happiness that happened before, this manga will take you on a trip that is everything but joyful. It is [insert curse here] depressing nearly at all times.

Being a firefighter means you'll have to jump right into dangerous situations. What would you do if you have the ability to foresee a glimpse of the upcoming future? This shouldn't be a question, of course it's to save lives. The main character is a relatively quiet young guy with this ability, and even if he's not a perfect example of how to be responsible as a firefighter, he's trying to make utmost use of it, not matter if it means he'll get a scolding afterwards.

This manhwa has made me connect to firefighting more than any other piece of media.*
Their training, their daily lives and their tasks are all depicted, as well as dangers regarding fire and explosions, which are all required knowledge when having to extinguish searing flames. I'd say the moral dilemma (act and risk your own life, or don't act, save yourself but doom the others to a cruel death) of knowing there's going to be yet another disaster taking place soon and only you know about it, is already intriguing when placed in a setting that is so similar to our own lives.

Do you want to learn a thing or two (or more) about firefighting, with a story that drops clues here and there, and art that you can't say no to, then this manhwa is a possible pick that won't run away from you. The first few chapters might be a tad slow, but it will be worth it if you proceed reading.



(I wrote a review for this manhwa, feel free to check it out.)
*Megumi no Daigo is better if you neglect the very beginning of it. I will need to change this line above to match my feelings having read both to the point of completion.

Following a similar principle as Death Parade, dead people are brought to an inn where they gradually regain their memories. We are introduced to an innkeeper, who surprisingly looks like a young looking girl, but everyone respects her authority. While not remembering a single thing from her own past, she still helps out the wanderers who end up in the Inn of Lost Things to find what they lost. Everyone who finds that which they lost, has to leave the place, because it is only a passageway not meant for them to stay in permanently. Several characters pass by and leave, though nothing tops the peak when we get to the point where the real main characters reveal their backstories.

I completed this not even five minutes before writing this and my eyesight is blurry due to all the tears that I couldn't hold in. The author's done a wonderful job at fleshing out backstories that all feel tangible, hence it further pulls you in to read to the end. When we get towards the latter half of the manga, the main characters receive the full attention and in the end all little hints make a full circle.
As a side note: this manga can generally be enjoyed by anyone who likes plot twists and interesting characters, no matter if you like or dislike Shoujo manga.

Are you in need of a manga wherein not even a single character disappoints? Give this manga a try and you'll see why it has its deserved rating!



As I'm re-reading parts of this, I am still finding clues I couldn't connect the dots of before.

! This text surprisingly has a lower quality than I intended it to have; guess that would be due to jumping into action right after completion :(
Will need to rewrite this but it's not going to be soon.

Just a normal looking guy leading a normal life, the somewhat shy and introverted Naruse Jun'ichi is suddenly shot in the head at point blank range by a robber, while trying to protect a girl. He may have been brought back to life when he landed in the hospital, however his situation didn't stop deteriorating from that point on. 'Who am I really?', 'What the heck is going on with me right now?' and 'Why do I not feel in control of myself in my own body?', these are only a few of the existential questions he has in his mind, before the unknowns are unravelled as his personality and identity are being wiped from existence.

I'm sure quite a lot of people have read tales about rising and falling of people with the internet being accessible for almost anyone in the world. Now, this feels like it is a story that records the downfall step by step in a diary. It has truly painful moments and scenes that can only be described as pure sadness. Just like in Tokyo Ghoul, on the verge of death there's no way to ask a dying patient for consent to a questionable surgery that might save his life at the cost of something unknown that would be pushed to the future to deal with, but both these doctors just went ahead and did it. The consequences eventually express themselves and cause a mess they may have underestimated.

People seem to have a joy in watching other people suffer and lead misfortune in life, an example being the famous FailArmy YouTube channel where millions of people view its videos, even if it's not always serious and many of those clips are just joking around, you'd think otherwise if you were in that position, being seen as a joke for everyone to see (except for some dumbasses which did brainless actions no sane person would ever perform). Well, this manga is serious and if you laugh at this then your humor is skewed, period.

Overly confident in his own way of being a firefighter, Asahina Daigo joins Medaka-Ga-Hama's Fire Company M as a rookie and makes a mess of the workplace, especially on the missions. However, he has certain senses nobody else seem to possess, and even though his insane methods simultaneously create astonishment and fury from his superiors, Daigo is able to save the day in a way they never thought would be possible. One situation after another passes, and his legend has begun spreading in the news. His heroism praised endlessly, Daigo wrestles with his own quiet side of this matter. Does he really do this job to save people in dire need, or is it rather for his own personal self? Is he really an abomination of a person who doesn't feel like living unless he's on the edge of dying? As the story progresses, Daigo relentlessly tries to reflect on his actions.

Oh my. I am guilty of judging this manga on first sight, for real. Another reminder for me to stay open-minded and appreciate longer manga more than I do currently. Daigo doesn't change a lot throughout the story, but he does have principles and values. His recklessness makes the journey epic, and the more summons are successfully completed, the more confident as a reader you begin to feel for him, because he often has a key role in solving it all. Who thought that a bragging idiot would turn out to be an excellent thinker under stress with brawn to back it up? For instance, when an ambulance transporting a patient on the brink of dying due to a cardiac issue, crashed and was stranded an hour by road from the next hospital, Daigo offered to run down the woody slope filled with stones and mud in a straight line. He actually made the 5km distance in barely 20 minutes, carrying the man on his back in the pouring rain.

Do you want to read a heroic story about an outlier of a rescuer who doesn't perform his duties traditionally, but still manages to get the job done? Plot armor is present, but who said it is used badly? He has enough moments of self sacrifice not to call it a deus ex machina every time like you'd say "it's predictable so it's bad" otherwise. Once more, don't treat the first 10 chapters as the equivalent of the entire manga, it is barely the introduction.

Pillaging corpses to survive is a necessity for Amelia and her servant Connor. Famine has spread its destructive fangs over Ireland and many people are in desperation due to meager survival chances of not starving to death. Hand in hand with her trustworthy servant she emigrates to the United States of America, to search for the Californian gold, on which they place all their hopes for the future. The voyage lets them meet with tons of different people and they all somehow leave an impression on one another. Silently thanking everyone who have made it possible for them to still be alive and kicking, the duo is able to adapt successfully to the USA with its countless inhabitants, and continues to head to their final destination.

Amelia tries not to show any obvious weakness to people who openly show disdain for the mass immigration of the Irish, though occasionally she does let her true feelings be known. She’s cunning and smart, but she doesn’t forget favors received at times when she really needed them. This manga is excellent in portraying that people are not always the way they act when they have prejudice compared to when they do not. It’s really miserable to think for a moment and perceive how harmful prejudice can be most of the times, and it spreads so quickly and easily as if everyone unconsciously takes part of it. Also, I think historical Seinen manga with a female main character possessing a strong will are hard to find (not that surprising). This is an example of one that deserves to hit the main stage.

Mastered the art of switching from happiness to sadness or the other way around in the blink of an eye, the mangaka inflicts emotions upon the reader like (s)he’s giving out candy during Halloween. The history is cruel, and there are no roundabouts in them being made known. Giving depth and life to these characters as if they’re breathing and existing is where this manga shines fully.



*(Translation via this link.)
*The title likely refers to having nothing to eat (starving) “single-eaten” = eaten in merely one time, and “golden” refers to the Californian gold they are aiming to find.
These are in se opposites (poor vs rich) but also similar (both are nothing to feed yourself with, if seen by itself): this fits the theme of moving to another country which is terra incognita but then finding people to connect with again.


So far there is only 1 Japanese character in this manga!
Version 1.01: Nov 7
Version 1.02: Nov 20

Stumbling into the demon realm where humans normally shouldn't reside, Nicola, a young girl, becomes the travelling companion of Simon, a demon who knows her secret but doesn't harm her in any way. On the contrary, he supports her as if she wasn't a stranger, and acts as a guide from start to finish. On the voyages she's showing her stubbornness, yet also kindness, as pretty as the flowers she can make appear utilizing her magic. Wandering without a final goal comes to an end when she wishes to meet her mother, who apparently has been sighted in the demon realm.

For a small girl, she has enough brains, courageous willpower and a healthy conscience. Meeting demons doesn't faze her anymore (after some time). She notices there are demons around weaker and more vulnerable than she is, and showing her compassion she helps them out. One who spreads goodness, receives it back equal in kind. Are there matters she cannot take care of on her own? No problem, she's not a lone wanderer. It is the flow of love, friendliness, kindness and comfort, combined with focus on simple but beautiful artwork instead of cluttered with describing text that makes this manga easy to breeze through and entertaining to experience.

Be stubborn if your objective is pure and clear. Be yourself. Like the song "Lean On", whatever you do, if you have someone to lean onto, you stand stronger than alone. Don't panic when things don't go your way, there might still be a sliver of hope lingering. Also treasure the happy moments you can share with your friends, because you never know when you will part with them.

Seas have conquered the surface of Earth and humans aren't the apex of the predators anymore. Surviving in a rusty and heavily damaged boat due to the daily attacks of the leviathans, as the terrifying monsters are called, Bota, Lita and their father Teon seemingly are the only humans left on Earth. That is the viewpoint of the young children, as they haven't seen anyone else for the 10 years they've been floating on the waves and scouring the seabed for anything to make use of. When an enormous monster tears the boat apart, they have no choice but to stay at a rock that sticks above water, chockfull of skulls and skeletons. More mysteries are formed and harpoonists enter the scene, those being people who kill leviathans threatening (weaker) humans. The monsters don't hesitate to attack, and bloodshed follows throughout any encounter between humans and leviathans. Will this apocalyptical madness end in the survival of humankind?

1) Just like how a slice of paper can be weak when it's wet, or sharp when it's not, humans are small compared to leviathans but still can hurt or kill them. Same goes for example some deadly viruses, fungi or bacteria: these tiny creatures have the possibility to wreck one's body to the core. This is just another reminder not to misunderstand on first sight, as looks can be misleading.
2) Do you remember every ant crushed beneath your feet? Do you think about all the lives that you have sent to the afterlife? Not many would actively think about that when they're busy with their daily lives, me included. People have a tendence to not notice when others are suffering, but when it's their turn they go "oh why me..."
3) Yes, the author and/or artist is/are somewhat pervy. You will see ass cheeks as often as tattoos.

Sharing lots of similarities to many famous manga such as Berserk, Attack on Titan, Tokyo Ghoul and Demon Slayer, this manhwa shows a brutal side of survival where one's life can end abruptly, just like how a horror story should be. It tries to make the reader actively impatient to get to know the answers to the questions, both of which aren't always said out loud. Oh, and by the way, if it's not clear enough yet, if you can't stand hardcore gore, this manhwa will not let you sleep peacefully without nightmares.



*MAL only lists 111 chapters but there likely are 214 chapters.

Having led a somber life as a surgeon, Kim Jinhyun's wish of being able to undo his mistakes is granted. He returns to adolescent age and studies hard in order to become a dermatologist instead of surgeon. In school everyone notices that he has become the best student, what was totally unheard of.
No matter what his former bully Lee Sangmin did to catch up, he couldn't quite snatch the top spot from Jinhyun again while they were studying. Time passes and the students take on different jobs, for instance in hospitals, to become full-fledged doctors. Having knowledge from his past proves to be a huge advantage, and a quick way to get millions or billons of won, but what is unavoidable is that his fame is reaching the skies, being seen as a natural genius that never existed before. Not everything is as easy as it looks like, because due to his code of putting the patient at the first place in all instances and the ill-mannered corrupt hospital director, he receives tons of assignments that make him look like a zombie.

Even though the start of this manhwa looks like the very very typical "die-return-relive life", it possesses qualities that make it stand out. The most obvious one is that it actually is educational whenever anything medical is referred to in the storyline. Diseases, medicines, medical equipment, terminology used to describe a diagnosis et cetera: the author tries to let the reader come into contact with several sides of the hospital's labor.
Another one is that one antagonist is written rather fine, but it does not fully reveal itself until the story is in its final phase.
Being successful in your professional life does not mean you're smart at the romantical aspects of your life: that's proven with this main character. He's too dense to recognize the signs coming from a *cough* co-worker.

If you are interested in a manhwa that offers excellent knowledge about science-related information, reading this can be a good opportunity to combine binging with learning, as it is satisfying and there remains a part of all ready to be uncovered again with a slight hint sometime later in your life.



In order to provide more details to the often not copiously explained scenes, I've made a thread in this club named Medical Return - more information (for the interested).

Sitting at his desk in his small apartment rooms day in day out is nothing new for Mitsuhashi Nokoru, as the engineering company he's working for had made it so he had to telework from home. He only goes to the office twice a week at most. His contact with other fellow people is therefore very limited, as he's not per se pushing himself to make contact with other people outside of his shifts: in his free time he likes to sleep, read and game, as well as slowly decorate his rooms and balcony. Surprised by his neighbor who compliments him for his cheerful garden on his balcony, and her interest shown for the statues he's placed there, he introduces himself to her. They talk about the small things around them and through some misunderstandings which they can solve peacefully they gradually grow closer. Venting about frustrations ends up with more compliments and even invites to each other's apartment rooms, sharing personal contact info included.
As both sides are willing to open up, a sweet romance is sprouting between the two of them.

Holy moly does this manga climax really quick. And no, it doesn't end there, it keeps it up for all chapters that are out at the moment. A mixture of honesty and relatability (his eyebags are a prominent feature throughout the entirety) leads to the reader's interest, and the romcom doesn't end in drama. Showing both characters' forte but also their weaknesses undoubtedly results in an ideal balance that doesn't get boring, further enhanced by the clean artwork. Keep in mind, these two are the "only" characters, there are no supporting characters beside them so all eyes are directed at them; if one of them is flawed then readers might not want to continue reading so this is risky, but the mangaka pulled it off without stumbling.

A manga for both young and old, without gravely inappropriate scenes, able to satisfy one's hunger for romcom. Even if you say you don't like romcom, this may be an exception you didn't know you needed. This manga will make you curse for the next chapter to come out quicker. Its wholesomeness is reaching the skies, for real.



*(Translation via this link.)

Life in 1920s Korea wasn't easy at all, considering the Japanese invaded the country and forced its inhabitants to conform their culture, ways and practically everything to be submissive to them. This caused some Koreans to riot against the Japanese occupying forces with violent outbursts using explosives. If you were caught red-handed, only death awaited you, but not before they got you to tell all about your secret organization or other "criminals" and "non-conformers". Cruelty was being applied to show everyone what would happen were you not to just bend and let them trample all over you. Now, this story is set in this turbulent time. One main character is a young girl, who doesn't have a family anymore and works as a maid. One day she finds a non-conformer and from there on her life would end up in quicksand, unable to escape, cut off from safety. While not actively pushing for her freedom, she tries to make the best of her life as possible, though circumstances interfere and all kinds of heartbreaking problems pop up, one after the other.

Historical manga and manhwa are hard to make. One has to do extensive research to create a scenery and setup as similar as possible. Of course the author is free to let the story flow how (s)he wants it to. This manhwa was nothing short of an amazing, heart-wrenching, dramatic-romantic and suspenseful masterpiece. The manhwaga breaks a "only Korean is used in manhwa" wall, and it fits because the Japanese expected Koreans to know and even speak their language. Characters aren't flat at all. They all are capable of consciously choosing their paths, even if it leads to suicide in order to escape the horrors, even if it means poisoning or torture to keep secrets away from danger and to protect loved ones, even if it means betrayal to save someone invaluable to you who's in peril. Characters you hate may have stories to tell that might make you reconsider your viewpoint about them.

A tearjerker manhwa with solid and tangible feeling of stress, depression, lost hope, broken dreams, and shattered futures. The question isn't "how good is this manhwa?", it's "Are you ready for a piece that can make you feel everything possible at once while also making you feel numb?"

A seemingly incredibly versatile robot maid is brought into grandpa Yoshioka's house so she could take care of him. She has a lot of chores to handle, which often lead to disappointment and damages caused by incorrect handling of the situation. This is why he calls her a "useless robot" even though she tries her best to help him with all the technology she has present. At first she doesn't have feelings or emotions, however she does develop them over the course of the years she spends together with her master. No matter the situation, Ponko will try to fix her mistakes, while joking or messing up even further, and at other times she's the absolute hero of the vicinity.

Walking talking robots wandering the streets and nobody who bats an eye, it's not as if that's going to be for decades into the future. In this manga it's not a surprise at all, Ponko's even called old technology! Despite that, it seems like time's not gone much further for anything else, because the worldsetting is pretty similar to our 2020s. She's excellent at humoring him while he's grumpy, helpful when it comes to him not wanting to leave his home. Leaving for a trip with his granddaughter? Sure! Getting lost in a crowd? Ouch! Sadly even with her warnings she can't always stick close to him. The little parts of reality brought into this fantasy make this manga an enjoyable read. The mangaka is very creative with Ponko's abilities and situational adaptation can end up anywhere, really. Jumping on a stage and suddenly having a rap battle was something I'd never have thought I needed to see in a manga*, but it works out as every chapter roughly is about one specific situation.

If you want to take a break of your stress, then temporarily clear your head of your worries, straighten your back, sit in a comfy chair, take a sip of whatever drink you love and check out Ponko's story. Stay optimistic, even if you break stuff left and right, it doesn't define you as you can grow up to be better. Even if you mess up badly, apologize and make it right. Have fun when everything's all right, with many people around you. If you notice something's wrong with a friend or stranger, even being in the person's vicinity might help, as long as you consider your own safety. Take a break when you feel like everything is crashing down on top of you, don't let it completely tear you down! Also just like how Yoshioka's seldomly praising Ponko but rather often scolds her, people can be quick to comment negativity. You don't really need to engage in hate speech, sometimes it's not meant the way it's told, and in other cases it's not worth anyone's time at all.



*(Also saw a rap battle somewhere in Gokushufudou, and immediately thought back to Ponkotsu Ponko.)

A wounded soldier called Higata Isamu in 1930s Manchuria is faced with powerlessness as reality robs him of his right eyesight. Seeing his mother fighting the uphill battle against a pneumonic disease, and meeting a woman who is far stronger than expected, he stood up and threw himself in the opium business with the latter in order to receive the money to cure his mother and help his remaining family. Things spiral out of control since the produced opium is actually sò pure, that it is unrivalled by the circulating morphine, which causes friction in the undergrounds. By extending hands with a wide variety of people from diverse ethnicities, he might be able to withstand the troubles facing him when he leaves his fingerprint firmly on the opium business.

What immediately grabs the reader's attention when reading this manga, definitely is the portrait of how every person who smokes the pure opium, reaches heaven's heights mentally, but completely loses their free will, with their physical bodies withering like plants devoid of water for more than weeks. All they can think about is "how can I experience this incredible feeling again" without any concern for their or others' health. This is exactly why you shouldn't do drugs, as you irreversibly disrupt your normal function for (too) short excitation. The creed "One time won't hurt" over and over is disproven.
"Everyone is addicted to something" - Kenny Ackermann; well, this fit perfectly with this manga: Once started, in more than one instance it's hard to quit, especially for these characters, due to their history and experiences, as they need the money or do it out of love.

Brutality, gore, torture, betrayal, blood, lies and compassion, money, guns and knives, all of this is part of the package that is Manchuria Opium Squad. It offers intense action scenes which can entice you to perform binge sessions. If you enjoyed Golden Kamuy or Rainbow: The Criminal Seven of Compound Two Cell Six, feel free to try this out, as it possesses similar styles of manga.