Scan barcode
rnbhargava's reviews
411 reviews
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, Vol. 6 by Haro Aso
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Pretty good volume. It’s mostly the tail end of the arc that had been going plus a tiny bit new. Characters and pacing are great as ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
If you’ve read the previous volume, you should know what common yet vaguely problematic tropes of manga/anime are in this series. They’re a bit tamer in this one but there’s still aspects that may trigger some as “not acceptable” even though used comedically
Asadora!, Vol. 3 by Naoki Urasawa
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This volume is wonderful, if anything some might think this volume does too much future plot set up. That’s the only reason I dinged it down .5 from perfect. A menacing figure has hired them to look into what they saw on the day after the typhoon. All of the plots are quite fascinating, including Asa’s school friends. The Scientist is an intriguing character, abrasive but also probably ultimately a good guy. Kasuga gets some interesting folds as well that enhance his nobility. Asadora has become one of my favorite series reads. I can’t wait to read what happens in volume 4.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism
The sexism and misogyny are present in depicting how people were in those days. The classism is clear in how the scientist treats Asa, some of the clandestine meeting places and the end bit with the siblings’ bully. Keep in mind that it’s depicting past decades with different norms, not that it makes those things right.
Asadora!, Vol. 2 by Naoki Urasawa
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The greater mystery deepens and the slice of life aspects are wonderfully executed. I like that it doesn’t shy away from people being tough on each other but also how they care is so well done too. The action is plentiful. This book is so great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, Trafficking, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Death of parent
The triggers are in there, I wouldn’t say to anything particularly awful, it’s just suggestive or like broad action violence. The death of parent and child are more suggested than anything. I call it graphic drug use but it’s a character high causing a dangerous situation. The sexism is more in the tail end of the book during a flash forward where the protagonist is a high school student.
Asadora!, Vol. 1 by Naoki Urasawa
A central feature of the narrative in this volume is the devastating aftermath of a massive typhoon on the coastal city that the characters live on. If you feel triggered by depictions of post-natural disaster damage, perhaps steer clear of this book until you’re ready to again see such imagery. There is also a kidnapping which might be triggering to some.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book really hits the ground running. It’s mysterious, then it introduces us to our main characters so deftly during a massive storm. The characters have variety in their personalities and motivations. I felt like I was watching a Studio Ghibli film while reading this. The character acting is excellent. The backgrounds are detailed and full of character as well. This historical fiction/sci-fi book is wonderful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Blue Period, Vol. 4 by Tsubasa Yamaguchi
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a quite good volume. The protagonist’s aim is here and it’s an interesting test. However, this volume is mostly about the exam takers mental state going into the exam. It’s quite a lot and seeing them struggle and persevere is super fascinating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
This volume is very much so about extremely competitive lengths that the art students go through during exam time, even exhausting themselves and risking their physical and mental health, please keep in mind though you probably are aware of content like this in the series if you read earlier volumes.
Blue Period, Vol. 3 by Tsubasa Yamaguchi
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Another good volume of “Blue Period”, it’s very much a character development volume. Yatora’s artistic experience is going through growing pains essentially. Yotasuke negatively puts his own insecurities on Yatora. I really sympathized with Yatora in this volume with his struggles about what to do and say through his art. This volume honestly is the one where you probably decided if this series is for you or not. I liked it with its pure character development. The plot is basically about thought.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism
These triggers are in the rivalry as in the characters act aggressive and kind of bullying and gaslighting but ultimately it’s to make each other better. They’re not knowingly doing it but it’s a challenge. The panic and toxicity is all in how it’s taken.
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The short stories across this book are mostly sci-fi tinged, character based, moral dilemma narratives. Of course there will always be subjective mileage on subject matter for different readers but I was always quite engaged, feeling all sorts of emotions and reactions while reading through all the different stories. It’s a pretty good collection, some stories might be too slight or too bloated to some readers but they’re all pretty worthwhile for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The triggers above are all treated as extremes, they’re not confined, those showing preference for those are all ultimately less than savoury even if they’re our point of view character. Most of the tales have a good amount of intellectual curiosity and whimsy in at least a portion of them
Squire by Nadia Shammas
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really loved this book with its Middle East (Jordan I believe specifically) setting and the protagonist from an ethnicity that’s thought of as “the enemy”. The characters are nuanced and not all are what they seem. The characterizations are all spot on. The main fault with this book is that it kind of wraps up a bit too fast. At least there’s a tease for a potential sequel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
This book has all of these themes but does it all in a fairly most ages friendly way. Think of the sensibility of a show like “Avatar: The Last Airbender”
Robin & Batman by Jeff Lemire
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a wonderful, Robin narrated, story of Robin & Batman in the early days against Killer Croc. You see Dick struggle with being an actual partner to Batman and with being a regular kid at Gotham Academy. It’s like a superhero story with the tone of a light, slice of life. I was technically reading the 3 singles that make up this series but I will definitely get this hardcover when it becomes available.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
This is another memorable, good book from Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen, the team behind Descender and Ascender. Nguyen has a real gift for depicting children going through complex emotional dilemmas. I would definitely give this book to a young kid age 10-13 as a good starter story for Robin & Batman. That said, everyone check this one out. It’s charming and earnest.
Captain America Lives! Omnibus by Ed Brubaker
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I love what I have been able to read of Brubaker’s run on Captain America in Omnibus form. Honestly it has become probably my favorite run of the character. Let’s hope that Omnibus 4 & 5 reprints get announced soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Most of the triggers are in a quite extreme way, the mileage of harmful impact varies. I would focus on the medical trauma and psychological/mental illness related aspects as particularly present. I love this run so I might not be the best to highlight the triggers in this.