KY's Reads

https://ebay.io/m/FzODlt   https://ebay.io/m/zV1Jh0    If you have read Silver Spoon and enjoyed its portrayal of agriculture and rural life, you might be interested in another manga by the same author, Hiromu Arakawa. It's called Hyakushō Kizoku , and unlike Silver Spoon , it isn't a traditional story manga. It's an autobiographical essay manga based on Arakawa's own experiences working on her family's farm in Hokkaido, Japan. I was curious about what this manga would be like, especially because I already knew Arakawa as the author of Silver Spoon . What I found was a surprisingly entertaining combination of agricultural knowledge, everyday farm life, and hilarious stories. Some episodes made me laugh out loud. But the manga also gave me something else: a strong desire to visit Tokachi, the region of Hokkaido where Arakawa grew up and worked on her family's farm. After reading it, I wanted to see the agricultural world she describes with my own eyes. Overvi...

 https://ebay.io/m/R7wlnJ   If you know Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind , there is a good chance you know it through the famous Studio Ghibli anime film. I did too. So when I first discovered that Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was also a manga written by Hayao Miyazaki himself, I was honestly surprised. I had always known the anime, but I had not realized how different—and how much larger—the manga was. Once I started reading it, I found myself unable to stop. I ended up staying awake all night and reading the manga from beginning to end. And after finishing it, I realized that the manga is not simply a comic version of the movie. It is a much larger, darker, and more complicated story. Overview Title: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Japanese title: 風の谷のナウシカ ( Kaze no Tani no Naushika ) Author: Hayao Miyazaki Genre: Fantasy, science fiction, adventure, post-apocalyptic Original publication: Animage Original serialization: 1982–1994 Volumes: 7 My rating: ...

I have some exciting news for readers of KY’s Reads! I’ve started selling Japanese manga on ebay! https://ebay.io/m/eE9LCi     If there is a Japanese manga you’ve been looking for, but you can’t find it easily in your country, please leave a comment on this post and let me know what you’re looking for. I may be able to find it for you in Japan. I live in Japan — and I can go manga hunting for you! One of the advantages of buying Japanese manga from me is simple: I’m in Japan. If you tell me the manga you want, I can go to Japanese bookstores and secondhand bookstores to look for it. Once I find the book, I will carefully package it and ship it to you through eBay. So, rather than simply buying a manga from a large online marketplace, you can have someone living in Japan personally search for the book and send it to you. I think that's pretty cool. 😊 What kind of manga can I look for? Pretty much anything! For example: Popular Japanese manga Older manga Latest issue of Weekly ...

Witch Watch Review  (Rating: 4.5/5) Overview Witch Watch is a Japanese manga series created by Kenta Shinohara and serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. It is a fantasy comedy centered on a witch and her familiar, combining everyday comedic situations with a gradually developing serious storyline. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_Watch At the core of the story are the various troubles caused by magic and the relationships between the characters. While it follows some stylistic elements seen in the author's previous works, it also creates its own rhythm by blending school comedy with fantasy elements. Plot Summary The story follows Morihito Otogi , a boy with the power of an ogre. He becomes the familiar and protector of his childhood friend, the witch Nico Wakatsuki . After completing her magical training, Nico returns to town and begins living with Morihito while attending school. However, a prophecy warns that Nico will face a great disaster in the future. Morihito t...

Hi！ I'm KY.  If you’ve found your way here, chances are you’re interested in Japanese manga—at least a little. This blog is dedicated to introducing slightly lesser-known but truly amazing manga to readers outside Japan. Of course, everyone knows titles like One Piece , Naruto , Dragon Ball , or Attack on Titan . But beyond those global hits, Japan is overflowing with incredible manga that many people have never heard of. There’s just so much manga in Japan—some great, some not so great. The ones I feature here might even be unfamiliar to many Japanese readers. That’s exactly the point. This blog focuses on “ hidden gems ” and slightly minor works that deserve more love. I’d like this blog to feel like a catalog of great manga. That’s why each article keeps the information fairly minimal. It might feel a bit short when you read it—but if you want more details, just leave a comment. I’ll definitely reply. These are manga I personally care a lot about, so I can talk about them pa...

Bakuman Review (Rating: 5 / 5) Overview Bakuman. is a manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. It was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump starting in 2008. Rather than focusing on fantasy or action, the series depicts the real process of creating manga for Jump , including editorial meetings, reader surveys, and the harsh ranking system that determines whether a series survives or gets cancelled. Wikipedia (English): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakuman Although Bakuman. is a work of fiction, its depiction of the manga industry—especially the weekly serialization system—is widely regarded as highly realistic. Plot Summary The story follows Moritaka Mashiro, a middle school student with exceptional drawing skills. Despite his talent, he hesitates to pursue a career as a manga artist after witnessing the difficult life of his uncle, who once aimed for the same path. Everything changes when Akito Takagi, a classmate with strong writing and analytical abil...