With more people reading manga and Webtoons (aka vertical scroll comics) than ever before, The Beat’s Bizarre Adventure gives three writers an opportunity each week to recommend some of their favorite books and series from Japan, Korea and elsewhere. This week we have a fresh new fairy tale, an unusual pet shop, and, of course, soccer.
Märchen Crown
Writers: Aka Akasaka, Aoi Kujira
Artist: Azychika
Translation: lapin, Inc.
Lettering: lapin, Inc.
Platform: MANGA Plus
Märchen Crown invites readers into a dreamlike fantasy world where a chance meeting between a noble girl living in a towering castle and a humble boy sparks a magical adventure. With themes of courage, destiny, love, and mystery; this romantic tale unfolds with fairytale charm and intrigue.
The manga is brought to life by an impressive creative trio—writers Aka Akasaka (Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Oshi no Ko) and Aoi Kujira plus artist Ajichika (Record of Ragnarok). Ajichika’s involvement is immediately evident in Märchen Crown’s visual richness. Known for bold, detailed character designs reminiscent of old fairy tales, Ajichika immerses readers in a whimsical, fantastical world.
While only in its first chapter, the series is already promising. The dynamic between the prince and princess archetypes feels familiar at first but their growing relationship is totally different than the classic version. What they share together day by day turns into things that have special meanings between them.
Märchen Crown is poised to become a modern romantic fantasy staple that combines classical motifs with contemporary sensibilities. Though fans, myself included, may harbor concerns after the rushed ending of Kaguya-sama and the polarizing developments in Oshi no Ko, there is clear potential here. The narrative already feels more grounded and emotionally resonant, while still carrying Akasaka’s flair for romantic tension and subtext.
Overall, I’m intrigued and cautiously optimistic. If it continues to balance visual splendor with heartfelt storytelling, Märchen Crown could become a standout in Akasaka’s career—and a memorable addition to the genre. — Ilgın Side Soysal
Pet Shop of Horrors
Writer/Artist: Matsuri Akino
Translation: Adrienne Beck
Lettering: Karis Page
Cover Design: Nicky Lim
Proofreader: Krista Grady
Production Designer: Christina McKenzie
Senior Editor: Jenn Grunigen
Publisher: Seven Seas
In Chinatown, Los Angeles, there is a man named Count D who runs a mysterious pet shop. He sells miraculous creatures unlike any seen before. Yet each requires stringent care. Customers must care for their new pets by following D’s provided instructions. Break them, he warns, and his store cannot be held liable for what happens next.
Pet Shop of Horrors follows a formula that was old as dirt even when the comic was first serialized in 1994. A customer buys a special pet, is told to follow the rules, doesn’t follow the rules, and everything goes to hell. If you’ve seen the 1984 comedy horror film Gremlins, at the very least, you’ll know what you’re getting into. (The artist, Matsuri Akino, hilariously references the film in the very first chapter.)
Even then, there are tweaks to this formula that caught me by surprise. The most distressing of these is that Count D’s “pets” are drawn as humans rather than animals. This is already strange enough; what is a pet shop doing selling people? But then Akino muddies the waters regarding whether these pets really are people, or if the customers just see them that way. When a blind girl buys a seeing eye dog, is he or is he not really a handsome German soldier? The suggestion of zoophilia turbocharges every one of these pulpy stories.
Pet Shop of Horrors isn’t all doom and gloom. Some stories can be quite sweet; the dog chapter ends well, and so does the saga of the man and his lucky cat. On the other side of the spectrum is the rabbit chapter, which kicks off with the death of a child and escalates from there. Matsuri Akino nails the most important part of formulaic storytelling: making the climactic reveal feel worthy of the build-up.
If I have a critique of this comic, it’s that I don’t like the way that Akino draws “ordinary” animals. There’s a hint of the uncanny valley to them that I don’t think reads as intentional compared to her other artistic choices. If Akino came up with the central gimmick for Pet Shop of Horrors just to get around drawing animals on a serialized basis, though, that’s what I call a power move. — Adam Wescott
Embers
Writer: Kei Kurumazaki
Artist: Sotaro Nishii
Translation: Adrienne Beck
Lettering: John Hunt
Publisher: VIZ
Haitani is a high school delinquent and brawler. All of the teachers have given up on him—except for Oshimi-sensei, who offers Haitani an outlet for his aggression via a soccer ball. In his first-ever soccer game, Haitani gets absolutely demolished by a soccer prodigy named Takami. He vows to Takami that day on the court that he will “beat you so bad you’ll never live it down.”
There are definitely elements from other well-known sports manga in Embers. The beginning reminds me of Haikyuu!! with the concept of two rivals meeting in middle school and ending up on the same team in high school. The first match between the pair, where Takami struggles to score a point against Haitani, reminds me of how Kageyama recognized Hinata’s innate athleticism. There are also similarities between Embers and Blue Lock. Both are about soccer, and Embers’s art style is comparable even if the story isn’t as high stakes.
What makes Embers different from its sports manga peers is that the story is focused on a defender. Soccer manga usually revolve around the striker, so it’s a welcome change. Haitani is also an unusual protagonist within the context of sports manga. He doesn’t start playing soccer because he likes it. Instead he’s pushed into it, and is motivated to stay because it represents a shift in his delinquent lifestyle.
The pacing is faster than what I’m used to; after a brief time skip, we’re already in the preliminaries as of chapter 8. It’s understandable considering how short-lived serializations are nowadays. I’m hoping that Embers is here to stay, though, and that we’ll learn more about Haitani and his teammates as they grow as players. — Hilary Leung
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