Manga

Over the past week, I tried to make an effort to check out series that caught my eye that are early in their run. So, here are some of the ones I found most interesting for one reason or another in no particular order.

• Shiretto Sugee Koto Iteru Gal: Shiritsu Para no Marukoukou no Nichijou - This one is about a world in which everybody has supernatural abilities. However, if everyone has them, are they supernatural anymore? So far, it hasn't really clicked with me, but I am willing to give it a couple more chapters before dropping it as it is only on chapter 2 right now.
• Kiite kuremasu yo ne? Senpai - I just started this one to try it out (only like 2 chapters in). So far, it is interesting enough. Something that the synopsis didn't get across is that there are supernatural elements to the story that add a nice dimension to what would otherwise be a very formulaic romcom.
• Juuou to Yakusou - This is a straight fantasy story that I have really enjoyed the two available chapters of so far (they are long chapters). It is about a world in which humanity thinks that it has exterminated demonkind, but one of the final demons is living in hiding and practicing medicine while trying to protect what remains of his people. He finds an unlikely companion in a human adventurer.
• Shimotsuki-san wa Mobu ga Suki ~Hitomishiri na Kanojo wa Ore ni Dake Dere Amai~ - I have enjoyed this one even if it hasn't really blown me away. One of the interesting things about this story has been the meta-awareness of the MC. He is always commenting about the story role that different characters are portraying and tries to model his actions to "play his part" in the story that is being told. Meanwhile, the characters around him start to subvert his expectations and deviate from the roles he had mentally assigned them. The story itself isn't too interesting, but the way in which it is being told has been.