We here at oprainfall don’t just love video games: we’re big fans of anime, manga, and light novels, too. So in celebration of the medium, we’re here to give you our thoughts on what we’ve been watching and reading each week as we enjoy them. Old, new – anything goes.
Currently Airing:
My Deer Friend Nokotan
So I’ve been waiting on this one for a while even before all the memes started rolling out. I randomly took a look at the manga a while back and didn’t really think this one would be getting an adaptation. That being said I’ve been liking it so far. It follows the former delinquent Koshitan, who has changed her ways and is seen as the perfect student, while trying to hide her past. However things go awry as the strange deer girl Nokotan appears, who immediately can tell what she was like and transfers to her school. Koshitan ends up becoming the club president of the “deer club” and is forced to take care of Nokotan and the chaos that follows her. I’ve heard some comparison to Nichijou with this one, which I don’t completely agree with, but I wouldn’t blame anyone for saying they are similar. While Nokotan is definitely strange, the other characters that appear also have their quirks with Koshitan being the only seemingly reasonable one. One thing I always like is how almost no one else is bothered by Nokotan’s antics and seems to see it as normal, though quite a bit of it is at Koshitan’s expense. I wouldn’t say that this is a series for everyone, but if you want an out there comedy, this one will work. – Walter
You can watch My Deer Friend Nokotan on Crunchyroll.
Manga:
Sore wa Rei no Shiwaza desu (It’s the work of the Ghost)
Over the past two weeks or so, I went ahead and re-read a silly romance, high school life manga called Sore wa Rei no Shiwaza desu, or, It’s the Work of the Ghost. This follows the blossoming relationship between Torii Nozomu, a second year high school student and new transfer student, Kirishima Kyoko. On the outside, Kyoko is a cute, charming young lady with an approachable personality. However, only Nozomu can see that Kyoko is haunted by a frightful-looking apparition. A female ghoul haunts Kyoko without her or anyone else aware, yet Nozomu can see her clearly.
Despite this, Nozomu musters his courage and befriends Kyoko. And this is what ultimately drew me into this manga. You have a new student, Kyoko, in new surroundings and not knowing anyone. She happens to be placed next to Nozomu, and he, regardless of the floating terror behind her, steps up and helps Kyoko adjust to her new surroundings. From there, a lovely friendship and more, forms, full of concern on Nozomu’s part, yet also brimming with all of the fun, emotional, and caring times and situations that accompany a high school life romcom.
A bit more ecchi than what I typically read, Sore wa Rei no Shiwaza desu is nonetheless a fun story with moments of genuine emotion and depth. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any official English release, nor plans for it, but the fan-translation over on mangadex is serviceable. – Drew D.
Youkai-tachi no Iru Tokoro (Where the Yokai Are)
I also came across a charismatic one-shot called Youkai-tachi no Iru Tokoro, or Where the Yokai Are. I guess I’m in a bit of a supernatural mood with my reading choices, not that it should be a surprise given my penchant for fantasy and fantasy-esque genres.
Similar to It’s the Work of the Ghost, we again have a main character, a middle schooler named Ginji, who can see spirits. However, these spirits simply choose to reveal themselves only to Ginji. With his kind nature and his rural home, many yokai have settled around and befriended Ginji. However, when they find out that Ginji has aspirations of leaving the countryside for a high school in Tokyo, the yokai stress out and begin taking actions to prevent their friend from leaving.
Mid in length, there’s plenty of humor and feelings of friendship to be had in this read. Fan-translated and available on mangadex, this is a quick, yet charming read for anyone looking for a heartwarming story with a dose of supernatural. My one critique would be that I simply want more and wouldn’t mind in the least if this were serialized. – Drew D.
What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!
You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!
