Welcome to another segment of Hoi’s Manga Corner by DFTG! This month I will be introducing Acaria, Coyote, Hell’s Kitchen, and Ore to Kawazu-san no Isekai Hourouki. All of which are another mix of distinct and varied stories! You may have noticed that my “summaries” can be a little long. However, keep in mind that I go into some depth about why I am recommending these series as well. Whether it’s the lovable character dynamics, the execution of comedy, or the realistic actions and consequences that ensue – there’s a reason I like it! So, if the sheer volume of words are intimidating, just read the first paragraph to get an idea about what the manga is all about. Let’s get Hoi’s Manga Corner August 2017 rolling!

Title: Acaria
Author: Nanao, Nanaki
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Acaria, a young girl residing in a small village decides to go forth and fulfill her dreams of becoming an adventurer, but something mysterious drives her toward this goal as well. Having stumbled across an elderly woman with absolutely no memory of her past, Acaria is taken into the home and treated as a family member despite her ailment. Five years later, rumors have been circulating throughout the land of a secret treasure that can restore memories, tempting adventurers far and wide in search of it. Filled with naïve hope from stories told by the “granny” who took her in, not at all fazed by the dangers that may wait ahead, she sets off to find the memory shard.

It is the hope that she can restore the past she had long forgotten. Even though the grandmother will be alone once more, she fully supports Acaria’s dream. Along the way, she discovers other treasures and myths as she learns how difficult and dangerous it is to be an adventurer. Based on the first few pages of Acaria, it looks as though Acaria suffered through an unfortunate event that left her with amnesia. This series was created by the same mangaka for the popular series Helck. Translated by Artificial Demons.

Title: Ore to Kawazu-san no Isekai Hourouki (俺と蛙さんの異世界放浪記)
Author: Kuzumochi (Story), Kasa (Art)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy

Magic. Humans. The existence of different worlds. That’s what Ore to Kawazu-san no Isekai Hourouki is all about. An unassuming university student by the name of Tarou Kouno one day is magically summoned by a magician of a different world. Nearing the end of his life, the magician in search of a successor stumbles upon the main character who, unfortunately, is completely unwilling to take on the task and responsibilities that comes with being an “unparalleled” and highly respected magician. Plus, the whole idea sounds completely far-fetched. Without a choice on the matter, the mysterious magician transports Tarou in this new world. So, why him of all people? Well, it turns out he is a magic power level of over 8 million. As the spirit of the great magician passes, Tarou is left to his own devices and absolutely bupkis of the world around him.

So, after digging into some basic spells and a bit of learning, he devises a way to bring the old man back to life in the form of a humanoid frog who he appropriately names Kawazu. While the premise of Ore to Kawazu-san no Isekai Hourouki sounds like the start of a basic story of human becomes all-powerful hero, the subsequent events prove otherwise. Instead of seeking help and advice from a king, this university student turned magician rejects any idea of receiving protection under a royal family. Instead, he just wants to travel the foreign world, gradually learning magic and having fun. Yet, his magic illiteracy will eventually land him in some deep trouble, but returning to his own world is no longer an option. Translated by /ak/.

Title: Coyote
Author: Awata, Sei
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Drama

Though the art is a bit rough around the edges, Coyote is a collection of different stories revolving around theme of finding one’s way in a screwed up world. Some may find the overarching lesson and execution for each one a little cheesy, but the author takes a down-to-earth and more focused approach to storytelling. Instead of creating a series that goes into depth about the background, characters, or society within, Coyote instead spotlights characters. The first chapter, for example, titled “Kids” tells the story of a renowned superhero family, but instead of a fairytale dynamic where all of them get along or fight trouble together head-on, the relationships between the siblings are rather strained.

The second and third chapters called “Lenny Worker” and “Lenny Alternative” focus around killer cyborgs that were created for the sole purpose of destroying the superhero Angel. The human population loathes their very existence as they continue to roam the city – often hidden and other times in plain sight. Rather than taking orders from a hierarchy, one cyborg renamed Lenny finds his own way with the help of a compassionate human. In “Coyote”, the main character is Alicia – a prostitute with slim pickings in terms of career options. Disowned by her family, there are no options in general when, one day, a client comes to visit under the pretense of conversation and offers her a way out. The last chapter “I Am a Demon” is comical by comparison to the previous ones – demon Commander Clout of the Underground Mawbulf Empire was sealed by the hands of fate and arch nemesis…within a shoe box. TL;DR — Personally, I find this collection of refreshing, different, and none require commitment since they are, in a sense, one-shots. If that’s what you’re looking for, then this may be for you. Translated by Antisense Scanlations.

Title: Hell’s Kitchen (ヘルズキッチン)
Author: Nishimura, Mutsuru (Story) and Amaji, Gumi (Art)
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy

Hell’s Kitchen is going to be one of those manga series that will have a turbulent storyline, but one main overarching theme and…it’s food and souls! A third-year middle school boy named Moriya Satoru with no particular skills, fascinations, or hobbies is preparing for his final year before heading off to high school, and the last thing on his mind is what he wants to do. Then, in comes Dogma – a self-proclaimed gourmand, The Earl of Poor Eating, is a character with a morally ambiguous goal of searching for a delicious, genuine “soul of a true chef” to consume. It just so happens to be good ‘ol Moriya. However, in order to do so, Dogma must use the memories, skills, and other hellish powers of the souls he’s consumed to turn this middle school child into a renown cook…before taking his soul as well.

With a life of his own and a hope to impress the love of his life, Moriya’s only real fate is death. Hell’s Kitchen is the story of a young man’s adventures of being blackmailed and controlled by a demon with amazing cooking skills. Even the main character’s crush has a love affair with anything that is food related and delicious. The introduction to this comedic series is a little rough around the edges, but once you get into the nitty gritty, meaty bits of the story – there’s all sorts of hilarity that ensues. Think Shokugeki no Soma, but with demons and a kid that possesses a deplorable lack of culinary skill. Readers will also notice that the story pokes a lot of fun at super fancy, Michelin star dining by presenting more modest, dishes with explosions of flavor. Of course, with any shonen-style manga, there’s going to by cheesy exaggerations of skill, scale, and a plethora of cool characters to love. Truly, this may be another series destined to have its own animated show. Translated by Easy Going Scans.

And that’s a wrap on this month’s Hoi’s Manga Corner! Have you had a chance to check out any of my recommended titles? Which manga would you like see possibly featured for next month? Tell us all about it in the comment section below, and don’t miss out on our 24 hour news feed over at the DFTG Twitter. Until next time!