 The final month of the year is here, so let's take a look at 20 of the most anticipated manga releases that I think you need to check out. Welcome back to the channel everybody. Unfortunately, two hyped releases got moved for next year, Binlin Saga and Trigun. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Let's talk about the December releases. Let's get started. The first one on the list is Tomochan is a girl omnibus edition. This is published by Seven Seas Entertainment and it is written and drawn by Fumita Yanagida. This contains volumes 1, 2, and 3 of the manga in a single omnibus paperback. Tomo and Jun have been best buds since they were children. But now that they're in high school, Tomo wants to be more than friends. Too bad, Jun just sees her as one of the guys. Tomo may be a tomboy, but she's determined to prove to Jun that she's a woman too. I am really excited to check this omnibus edition out from Seven Seas. I really enjoyed the anime adaptation and I have been wanting to own the manga for quite some time. Seven Seas released the series in single editions. I believe it was eight volumes. So what we're looking at here is the omnibus edition will be a total of three. You got the first two being three and ones and the last one will probably be a two and one volume. This romantic comedy is fun. It has very endearing characters. At first, I was a little bit skeptical of Jun. I thought, man, this guy is dense, but there's a lot more there for that character. Let's just say that much. And the relationships that form and the romances continue to evolve as you read the series. It might be little by little, bit by bit, but they get there eventually. It's a little lighthearted, but the comedic take on the dynamics between friends are really nice to read. Plus, the art is really nice too. I will definitely be checking this out as soon as I can. Next up through Shojo Beat, Vizmedia is putting out Neighborhood Story from I, Yazawa. A lot of people are excited for this. We follow the peppy and creative teenager, Mikako, who wants nothing more than to make it as a fashion designer. But when she enters art school alongside her lifelong friend, Tsutomu, she finds herself distracted by his sudden popularity and subsequent love life. Despite her feelings, Mikako forms a club with Tsutomu and her friends to sell their creations at a local flea market. While the group is out scouting the flea market, however, discord arises between members in the group and what begins as an exciting day quickly turns sour. If you enjoy I, Yazawa's work, you are probably going to check this out and get it. Neighborhood Story is a manga that seems to explore the challenges and joys of pursuing one's dreams, and I can get behind that. From Kodansha, we got Fairy Tail Omnibus Edition Volume 1. The famous story by Hido Mashima is coming out in an oversized or large trim-sized edition, Omnibus, containing the first three volumes. Follow the spunky and magical Lucy who wants to join Fairy Tail, a guild that gathers the world's most powerful wizards. But instead, her ambitions land her in the clutches of a gang of unsavory pirates led by a devious trickster. Her only hope is Natsu, a strange boy she happens to meet on her travels. Natsu's not your typical hero. He gets motion sickness, eats like a pig, and his best friend is a talking cat. With friends like this, it's Lucy better off with her enemies. Look, by now you probably know what Fairy Tail is about. I happen to start reading some of it and dropped it. I don't think it was for me, but I am willing to give it another shot because I really enjoy Eden Zero. And let's face it, a majority of Hido Mashima's work is similar in nature. So yeah, I do want to try this again and see if my opinion changes. I love the Omnibus format for these releases, specifically Kodansha. So a large trim-sized edition, let's go. We started a threesome, Volume 1 from Katsu Aki. Ria, Suisei, and Emito are childhood friends who fell in love with each other. Now they share a home as a married couple. In the morning, Ria and Suisei commute to work and at night, Emito cooks delicious meals he hopes they'll enjoy. Follow their daily lives as they face challenges, celebrate victories, and indulge in the more intimate side of marriage together. A story about polyamory by the creator of the famous married life manga, Futari H, Manga Sutra. That last bit is pretty important. A lot of people are excited for this because they are a fan of Futari H and I'm going to give this a shot. I know the description and the style of book are not going to be for everybody, but it is from a famous mangaka. So I really wanted to highlight that here. This is another Seven Seas release. You're going to see that a lot in this video. My dog is a Death God, Volume 1. This story is written by Minkito Chinen and art by Ritsu Aozaki. God of Death Leo has been dispatched to Earth on a mission to save human souls and has found himself at a small hospice called Okanue Hospital. For this task, he's been granted a special form, one with four legs, a tail, and a keen olfactory sense. Thanks to his canine acid, Leo can seek out patients at the hospice who are plagued by a lifetime of regret. With his wet nose and doggy good looks, Little Death God Leo eases patients into their next life, setting them free of both the quiet hillside hospital and any lingering doubts. This sounds spectacular, also absolutely heartbreaking, and it has beautiful artwork, so it's the trifecta of a wholesome read. I'll be honest, I do want to check it out, but at the same time, I kind of don't want to right now. I'm not in that headspace for such a heavy concept like this, dressed up as the wholesomeness of man's best friend, easing other people into the next life, if that makes sense. But definitely worth picking up, in my opinion. Pink Heart Jam Volume 1 from Sublime is a story and art by Shike. We follow college student Haiga, who is starting school in the big city, and is looking to make new friends and try different things. On the first day of class, he spots an impossibly gorgeous upperclassman named Kanai, strumming a guitar, and decides to join the school's rock band. But later, a drunken dare leads Haiga to a coincidental rendezvous with Kanai, that will entwine them in many ways. What will it take for the two to go beyond experimentation and forge a real relationship? Sounds pretty wholesome and pretty relatable to a lot of people's college experience in the big cities, I want to say. This is a Sublime release, which I think I'm highlighting for the first time on my channel, that's pretty cool. I keep missing some of these releases, and I always feel bad when I finish the video, because I miss out talking about certain releases like this that I know mean a lot to people. So, yeah, Pink Heart Jam Volume 1 coming out soon. Now, would you believe that, past the monster meat, my lady, Volume 1 is actually one of my most anticipated reads of the year? I'm not joking. This is being released by Kodansha, written by Chika Mizube with art by Pepperon, which sounds hilarious. Pepperon, like Pepperoni. I don't know, I found that funny. You probably didn't. That's okay. Like any proper noble lady, one must have certain acquired taste. For Melfiria, she just happens to crave a rather exotic protein. Monsters. But do not judge. Despite its bad reputation, monster meat can be used in exquisite cuisine, and Melfiria is determined to change the kingdom's opinion on it. Unfortunately, since debuting in society, Melfiria has been struggling to find her perfect match, until she meets the fearless Blood Mad Duke of Galbraith. I really enjoy the art by Pepperon, and I like the premise here that the main character has such finesse, but also enjoys the exquisite proteins of monsters. I'm on board, sounds wacky, sounds fun, I will get this, and I promise you I will make a video highlighting past the monster meat, my lady. Demon Slayer is back, but it's not a sequel, it's a spin-off. Well, sort of. This is Kimetsu Academy Volume 1. Tanjiro and the rest of the Demon Slayer core are back and facing their greatest challenge yet, School Life. Published by Viz Media, with story and art by Natsuki Hokami based on Demon Slayer. Now, if you have read the original Demon Slayer manga, some chibi gag panels towards the end reimagine the series as if it's taking place in middle school and you have the characters fill the roles of students, teachers, principals, etc. It's a lot of fun, I really enjoy the concept, and honestly, this is a manga for the hardcore fans of Demon Slayer. Here you can just relax and laugh out loud with this chibi take on the Demon Slayer characters. I married my female friend, Volume 1. This is being released by Seven Seas, with story and art by Shio Usui. In it, we follow Kurumi and Ruriko, who make a deal. If they are both single in five years, they would marry each other. Five years later, neither woman is attached, so it's time for a wedding. Marriage is full of firsts, especially for two friends, so they have a lot to learn about each other in their newly shared home. But will they continue this arrangement like two especially closed roommates, or will a different kind of love bloom between them? I mean, if you're already committing yourself to marrying somebody, you would think that love would blossom and bloom and not just be a sour experience all together. So I would hope that love blooms between these two characters. Definitely do check out I Married My Female Friend if you want a GL manga with some comedic elements. Next up from Kodansha, we got How I Met My Soulmate, Volume 1. This is written and drawn by Anashin. Yuki is a 20-year-old college sophomore who has wished for one thing since moving to Tokyo to find her soulmate. Growing a bit desperate after a long drought, she goes along with a friend to a club for the first time. Her friend thrives, but it's chaotic and loud, just not Yuki's scene. Just when Yuki begins to despair that she'll never find a real adult relationship, she meets Lory, a man with bleached hair and a slightly scary demeanor. But first impressions don't always tell the whole story. Could Destiny still have more cards to play? I've read good things about this release, so I know a lot of people are excited for it. I think it does have nice art with good character designs, and I know the plot summary might sound a little generic, but just like the book tells us, first impressions don't always tell the whole story, so there is more to catch here with How I Met My Soulmate. From Yen Press, we got My Poison Princess is Still Cute, Volume 1. This is a story and art by Chihiro Sakutake. When Demon Princess Rafi married Rodin, and in Mortal Knight who safeguards humanity as part of a new peace treaty between humans and demons, she hadn't quite expected that he'd fall for her. Not only that, he is weirdly stubborn enough to keep trying to get closer to her, despite repeatedly dying from the poison she naturally admits. Just how long will his adoration prevail? That's how you know that this is serious. The demon could potentially kill you, but you love and admire this princess so much that you're willing to skip all of that to be with him. I like the cover and seeing some of the art online, it's not taking itself too seriously, which is perfect for a romantic comedy like this. Another release from Seven Seas Entertainment, we got The Secret of Friendship. This is a story written by Kazune Kawahara and art by Aiji Yamakawa. Aiko and her best friend Moe couldn't be more different. While Aiko is a shy average looking girl, Moe is beautiful and constantly gets attention from guys. Though their personalities are total opposites, the bond between them is incredibly strong. Moe might have an endless supply of suitors, but when it comes to actually dating them, she has a condition. Her boyfriend must value Aiko more than he does Moe. No one has yet been able to meet her condition, not until a boy named Tsuchida appears at least. What will Aiko do when her relationship with her best friend begins to change? The secret here is on just how strong that relationship is, because if Moe has this absurd condition that the boyfriend must value Aiko more than he does Moe, you know you have an amazing friend. That is great. But there's always a wrench thrown in everybody's plans, so it's going to be interesting to see how this new boy changes up the equation for the two main girls. The secret of friendship. Definitely be on the lookout for that one. I think it's going to be one of those hidden gems in the long run. I am extremely happy and excited to preview here from Titan Manga, the great Yokai War Guardians. Volume 1. This is a story by Yusuke Watanabe. This manga is an adaptation of the movie of the same name, which came out a couple years ago. If you don't know about the Great Yokai War, this is a story that takes place in modern Japan, and after ancient fossils are disturbed by an earthquake, the spirits of Ibo Yokai manifest as gigantic monsters rampaging towards Tokyo. The only person who can stop it is a young elementary school student named Watanabe, who is the unknowing descendant of a long line of legendary monster hunters. The movie is a lot of fun. I highly recommend it. It is accessible because it is made for kids, unlike the majority of Miike's filmography. This has the trifecta. You got a solid plot, great characters, and fantastic artwork. So definitely check this out. If you're interested in action battle shounen series and you like the whole yokai thing, definitely pick up the Great Yokai War Guardians. Volume 1. Highly recommended from yours truly for this month. She's My Night. Volume 1. This is published by Kodansha, written and drawn by Saiso. Popular boy, Harume Ichinose, age 17, has been popular since he was born. So popular in fact that he figured no one could even come close until he met Yuki Mogami. She's tall, cool, collected, and totally makes him crazy. He may just be in love, but can he deal with falling for someone even more dashing than himself? Now this is an exercise in narcissism and ego, so I'd be very interested to see how this tongue-in-cheek shoujo comedy plays itself out. Excited to check out She's My Night. Volume 1. Next up we got another Seven Seas release, Breakfast with My Two-Tailed Cat. Volume 1. This is written and drawn by Aishimizu. So Ichiro's wife wanted to retire to the countryside, but soon after they achieve the stream, she dies. So he won't be left alone. Their pet cat, Ni, turns into a talking nekomata, a two-tailed yokai cat. Together they share a heartwarming, slow life, cooking and eating delicious food surrounded by nature. That sounds heartwarming, sad, and delicious at the same time. It's a cat manga, but it also has a slice of life element. It has pretty artwork and delicious food. Sign me up. I'm actually really excited to check this out. Can't wait. Obamie. The comic, but also the manga. Volume 1. This is by Seven Seas. This series is based on the hit otome mobile game with an anime. Now the manga that we're going to talk about here is written and drawn by Subaru Nito. The game, which this is based on, is by NTT Solmayr. As the underworld school bells ring, a little sheep wakes up the royal academy of the Avalo in the Devildom, where seven eccentric demon brothers await. This woolly creature is actually a human exchange student. So how did they end up a sheep? Everything is a blank. Now the sheep must figure out how to turn back into a human and regain their memories as Lucifer and the other demons raise hell with devilish hijinks. I had no idea about the otome game. I was told it was really popular and I looked it up and yes, it has a huge fan base across the world. And now we are getting the manga adaptation, but I just find it funny that it's Obamie the comic manga. Volume 1. Next up we got another titan manga, The Poetry of Ran. Volume 1. This is written and drawn by Yusuke Osawa. In this high fantasy tale, they are monsters who devour people and all their evil. And the only way to banish them is to absorb these impurities. Torue, a young bard struggling to make a name for herself, encounters one such monster hunter, a young man named Ran who decides to travel with him to gain inspiration from his exploits. This looks really cool. Dark fantasy. I hadn't heard of this before, but the premise sounds neat. I do want to check it out. I've been impressed lately with a titan manga branching out and getting all these awesome licenses. My Ultramarine Sky. This is a release by Kodansha, story and art by Naegisa Furuya, the creator of My Summer of You. From their first year of middle school to their second year of high school, Kai and Ran have not always been in the same class. But they've always sat next to each other. But in their last year of high school, the boys are assigned to separate classes. And with each passing day, Kai feels as if he's slipping further and further away from Ran. One day when Kai finds Ran sleeping in a classroom after school, he whispers the feelings that he can't bring himself to say out loud. And Ran hears him. Will Kai's confession draw them further and further apart? Or will it be the spark that brings them back to each other once more? I do know of My Summer of You, so if you enjoy that series, you should enjoy Ultramarine Sky as well. Mitsuka, Volume 1. This is by Love Love, a Tokyo Pop imprint, story and art by Akabeko. Now I have to warn you, this is extremely not safe for work. This is a manga about Leo, a host at a nightclub, and he always thought he had no interest in men until he slept with Takahiro, a sex worker who introduced him to pleasures he'd never felt before. Now sex with women doesn't satisfy him, and after begging Takahiro to sleep with him again, they agree to a Friends with Benefits arrangement. But just when Leo thinks he may be falling in love, one of his best customers asks him to sleep with her. Takahiro catches him in the act, and things take a dark turn. So yeah, parental advisory, this is not for the faint of heart. Now I have to confess, this was originally going to be just 19 releases because of the missing volumes like Vinland Saga and Trigun. I had to scale it back a little, and something didn't feel right. I didn't want to leave it at 19. I thought, you know what, let's look for an extra one. And for a while, I think since 2021, we've known about Renjo Desperado, Volume 1. I do not think it will come out on December. Denpa, I think it's at the moment a three-person squad, so they have a lot on their hands. I don't think this will come out on the indicated date, but it hasn't changed since late 2022 when I saw the date. Hopefully it does come out, but realistically, I'm pretty sure it won't. But if it does, that is fantastic because this I am super excited for. We follow a young ninja girl in a Wild West inspired Japan as she searches for love while avoiding man-eating giant sandworms in a gunslinging band of Yakuza Desperados. Monko is a lonely traveler roaming the rough and wild roads west of Tokyo and has set a journey to find her perfect man. But in a land populated by bloodthirsty bandits and handsome landlords who are sometimes one and the same person, she must use much more than her heart to find her ideal man. With sword in one hand and a six-shooter in the other, it is her manifest destiny to search for love in all the wrong places. Again, this sounds fantastic. I love the mishmash of Wild West, Spaghetti Westerns here with Yakuza, Samurai. I don't know, it's a wild mix of genres here. This story is written by Andon Sheik and, like I mentioned, being published by Denpa. I don't know if it'll come out or not, but still I wanted to point it out that it is one of my most anticipated releases for December. Maybe. I don't know. And there you have it, folks. 20 anticipated manga releases that I think are worth checking out. Lots of cool releases this year and it has been a fantastic experience to put out these videos. The warm, kind, and beautiful reaction from you wonderful people has been amazing. Thank you all so very much. I was doubting if I should continue doing these types of videos but I think I'll continue doing them. You guys enjoy them. I like making them. It's a lot of fun to go over all the new books that are coming out because we are at a golden era of manga consumption and it's only going to get crazier. So thank you everybody for tuning in. God bless. Stay safe out there. I will catch all of you on our next video.