Highlights from this Week's FOC
WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT MISS THIS WEEK?
Hello fellow Manga readers,
Yes, it is me again – a third time this month instead of the usual 2… You may ask yourself why? (I hope you do…) 👀
February is just filled to the brim with new amazing titles and on-going series that I just couldn't pick only 2 weeks to talk about! :P
So, third times a charm and without further ado, let’s check out what this week has to offer! :D
🪚 Chainsaw Man Vol. 20 🪚
Chainsaw Man Vol. 20 *PRE-ORDER*
€10,79
€11,99
Broke young man + chainsaw demon = Chainsaw Man! Denji was a small-time devil hunter just trying to survive in a harsh world. After being killed on a job, he is revived by his pet devil Pochita and becomes something… read more
After being blessed with the Reze Arc of Chainsaw Man in cinemas worldwide, we are finally getting the next volume of this wonderful series!
If you haven’t already heard of it, I highly recommend checking it out! Most of my manga-reading friends consider it one of the most epic and funniest adventures out there!
Chainsaw Man follows the story of a poor boy named Denji, who hunts devils for a living. Well… maybe “living” isn’t quite the right word, because his pay is far from generous after inheriting massive debts owed to a criminal organization.
That is undeniably tragic, but at least he isn’t alone and shares his life with his pet devil, Pochita!
After being killed on a job, Pochita sacrifices himself and bonds with Denji, transforming him into the new superhero (or anti-hero?) known as Chainsaw Man!
With this transformation, the odds between Denji and his devil enemies become far more even, and he begins hunting them for a much greater purpose.
I would say volume 20 is the perfect entry point into the series - not only because you can currently pick it up at a cheaper price than usual (I mean this is the FOC newsletter, duh), but also because this volume is simply excellent from start to finish.
The ongoing conflict reaches a new peak as a new enemy enters the scene, and familiar faces once thought to be lost make a shocking return! :O
I mean, what more could you possibly want???
If this isn’t enough to get you excited, check out my Beyond-The-Panels article on the Mangaka Fujimoto, where I dive a bit deeper into why his style and writing is so phenomenal, and also why his stories shaped a new generation of Mangaka! :P
Just a beautiful panel from Chainsaw Man if this isn’t enough to get you excited! :P
🦚 Shangri-La Frontier 21 🦚
Shangri-La Frontier 21 *PRE-ORDER*
€10,99
€12,99
A fast-paced, irreverent adventure for fans of isekai and RPGs! High schooler Rakuro loves hunting down "trash games," but one day he decides to play a AAA VR game called Shangri-La Frontier instead. He creates a character with a bird… read more
I don’t know about you, but one of my very first anime was Sword Art Online, which I still consider the best Isekai (Hot Take? Probably! 🤪).
Because of that, it’s been quite a while since another Isekai came even close to capturing that same feeling… Until Shangri-La Frontier completely swept me off my feet! :O
It’s incredibly easy to get into, because the initial formula feels familiar enough to spark excitement while still being different enough to feel fresh and new.
Our main character, Rakuro, loves playing trashy games - until he finally decides to try out a AAA VR title called “Shangri-La Frontier”. He creates a random character with a bird head, commits the greatest sin in gaming by skipping all cutscenes, and suddenly finds himself pulled into an experience that far exceeds all his expectations.
What truly hooked me about this story is how closely it mirrors a real gaming experience. You get all the classic RPG elements, along with the early-game struggles and challenges every gamer knows all too well.
However, it doesn’t just captivates us through clever gimmicks and references - it also shines with amazing action sequences, fun worldbuilding, and a thrilling story that perfectly brings back those 2010s Sword Art Online vibes.
So, if you’re a fan of Isekai, RPGs, or even Sword Art Online, this series is an absolute must-read for you! :D
☁️ Live Memorium ☁️
Live Memorium TP *PRE-ORDER*
€23,50
€24,99
When digital dreams turn into nightmares . . . Single and awkward, Thomas works as a boring accountant job for a seedy company that makes sex dolls in a gigantic, lonely megalopolis. Manipulated by his crooked boss and ridiculed by… read more
Sometimes, when I scroll through our FOCs, I come across titles I’ve never heard of before. But sometimes they do immediately hook me…
This new manga was one of those, and I knew right away that I had to pre-order it, because it tackles themes that I absolutely looove! :D
Thomas, the main character, is single, awkward, and stuck in a boring accountant job for an adult toy company in a massive, lonely city. On top of that, his boss is manipulative, his co-workers despise him, and then his mother dies…
(Sometimes when I read stories like this, I seriously wonder why authors let their characters suffer this much. Like, damn… give this guy a break…)
However, there is an illegal technology called “Live Memorium” that allows users to revisit and alter their childhood memories by acting differently within them.
While healing his trauma initially helps Thomas turn his life around, it soon becomes clear that reality and virtual reality begin to blur, which pulls him into a self-destructive spiral that he may or may not be able to escape.
And honestly: cyberpunk, dystopia, and big questions about our relationship with technology and the past?
JUST. PERFECT.
Could this be a new successor to Akira, Black Mirror, and Cyberpunk 2077? I will definitely let you know once it is out! (But you should try it out yourself too tho – especially because it will come out soon and you can still save some money with the FOC pre-order hehe!) 👀
🐉 Ruridragon Vol. 3 🐉
Ruridragon Vol. 3 *PRE-ORDER*
€10,79
€11,99
Ruri faces the usual high school issues: pushy classmates, annoying teachers, and…waking up with dragon horns?! Ruri Aoki awakens one morning to find a pair of horns growing from her head! It’s already hard enough trying to be a normal… read more
For this last one, I have to give a quick shoutout to our amazing partner HyruleXKidd, a.k.a. Kevin, who first put this title on my radar!
When we sent him a package to check out a few titles a couple of months ago, he immediately told me to include this one as well…
I was a bit skeptical at first, since I had never heard of the title before - but his enthusiasm quickly rubbed off on me, so I decided to take a closer look. 👀
And gosh… the very first thing that instantly hooked me was the art style!
It’s just so cute and fits the story perfectly. Clean, yet slightly sketchy and rough in a charming way. An art style that weirdly reminds me of Beastars, which I absolutely loooove! :P
The story itself is incredibly heartfelt and makes for the perfect read in between heavier seinen manga like the mentioned “Live Memorium” for example.
We follow Ruri, who deals with all the usual high school problems… until one day, she suddenly grows dragon horns!?
Surprise! You are a dragon, Ruri! :D
It’s such a random idea, but it works surprisingly well and feels genuinely fresh.
So, if the titles in our FOC newsletter feel a bit heavy and you’re looking for something easier to digest, something that will melt your heart and make you laugh - then this one is absolutely perfect for you!
(And with volume 3 being on FOC, you can grab the first two volumes right now and then look forward to volume 3 in April, which you can pre-order for a cheaper price than usual! :D
That is it for now!
I think this FOC newsletter was the perfect example of how great it is to read manga. There are new titles that may take the world by storm and on-going series that you still can catch up with.
So, whenever you receive my newsletter and see that I recommend you something that is already at volume 20+, do not fear to get started – you may miss out on greatness! :P
But if you cannot wait for these titles and need some new manga right now, you can either pick up the volumes before the ones I showed you, or you can always check out our Beyond The Panels-Blog, where I already talked about a lot of different manga that you can get right away! :D
But of course, you can also check out every FOC this week, right here. All of our pre-orders run until Saturday at 4pm.
If you have any doubts or questions, you can message us, and we will gladly help you out.
See you soon,
Daniel
