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New on Shoujo Shelves – July 2016

July 4, 2016

Love and fireworks! It’s mid-summer and time for your favorite characters to go on those festival dates. If you’re looking for some good shoujo to read, let’s find out what titles are showing up on shelves in July. We have Liselotte and the Witch’s Forest debuting this month. Also debuting is new seinen manga with a family theme – Sweetness & Lightning. And *Holy Smokes!* it’s a new title from Tokypop for little girls – Kilala Princess manga. (Never thought I’d use that logo again!) Let’s see what other shoujo and josei manga are continuing in the month of July:

Alice in Murderland, vol. 4

Our real parents, yours and mine…

The death match with Mare leaves Stella drained. Slipping in and out of consciousness, she relives the traumatic events of the airline crash. Was Stella’s white-haired bully really on the same plane? And what was in the strange box she saw with him?

Did you and I meet a long time ago? Maybe on an airplane…?

Stella’s doubts about Tsukito, her white-haired bodyguard, resurface… Is her returning memory a Pandora’s box?

…and perhaps a hundred others have died at his hand.

Story and art by Kaori Yuki.

Release Date: 7/5/16 (Pushed back from last month.)

The Ancient Magus’ Bride, vol. 5

Hatori Chise has lived a life full of neglect and abuse, devoid of anything resembling love. Far from the warmth of family, she has had her share of troubles and pitfalls. Just when all hope seems lost, a fateful encounter awaits her. When a man with the head of a beast, wielding strange powers, obtains her through a slave auction, Chise’s life will never be the same again.

The man is a “magus,”a sorcerer of great power, who decides to free Chise from the bonds of captivity. The magus then makes a bold statement: Chise will become his apprentice–and his bride!

Story and art by Kore Yamazaki.

Release Date: 7/5/16

Behind the Scenes!!, vol. 2

When the Art Squad is assigned to dress a set, Ranmaru is shocked at how seriously Goda takes the job. Every action figure and empty soda can is placed with utmost care to tell the story of the character who lives there, every sock and towel artfully be-grunged with coffee grounds and fuller’s earth to support the narrative. Ranmaru has always been detail oriented, but isn’t this taking things to the extreme? He’s about to learn that attention to detail can do more than just set the scene…!

Story and art by Bisco Hatori.

Release Date: 7/5/16

The Complete Chi’s Sweet Home, vol. 7-9, Omnibus 3

Story and art by Konami Konata.

Release Date: 7/19/16

The Demon Prince of Momochi House, vol. 5

Himari Momochi inherits Momochi House, an estate that exists on the barrier between the human and spiritual realms. The waters of the seven sacred falls have become polluted, and Himari, Aoi, and the shikigami cross over to the spiritual realm to find the cause. But during an attempt to purify the waters, Himari is taken away by the dragon god!

Story and Art by Aya Shouoto.

Release Date: 7/5/16

Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, vol. 5-6, Omnibus 3

Spring is in the air, and with spring comes break! When Shigure takes Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo to the Sohma’s vacation home to make the most of Golden Week, the inevitable game of cat and rat is already underway, with sparks flying between Yuki and Kyo. But leave it to Tohru to smooth things over!

The peace doesn’t last, however, when another Sohma (or two?!) drops in! And even a vacation can’t shake the rainy day that awaits the group upon their return. When a face from Kyo’s past makes an appearance, he lets a shocking secret about the cat out of the bag…

Story and Art by Natsuki Takaya.

Release Date: 7/26/16

Honey So Sweet, vol. 3

“You said you loved me, right?”

Although Nao Kogure was once afraid of the delinquent Taiga Onise, she was soon touched by his kind soul. Nao and Taiga have been dating for two months, but Taiga’s best friend Ayaha Futami decides he wants to steal Nao away, and he’s not making a secret of it.

Story and art by Amu Meguro.

Release Date: 7/5/16

Horimiya, vol. 4

When Miyamura murmurs an “I like you” to Hori, who’s laid up in bed with a fever, is he talking to himself? Or is he actually confessing to having feelings for her?! Hori is conflicted, but their secret-filled relationship is unmistakably changing little by little…

Story by HERO and art by Daisuke Hagiwara.

Release Date: 7/26/16

Kilala Princess

When Kilala awakens a sleeping prince name Rei, she magically gains the power of the princesses! So when her friend Erica is kidnapped, Kilala decides she and Rei must set off on a quest to rescue her!

Filled with the most popular Disney princesses Ariel, Cinderella, Jasmine, Snow White, Belle, Disney’s Kilala Princess combines the magic of Disney with the fantasy of shojo manga!

Story by Rika Tanaka and art by Nao Kodaka.

Release Date: 7/6/16

Liselotte & Witch’s Forest, vol. 1 **New Series**

Despite being completely hopeless at endeavors like farming and cooking, Liselotte, a young lady of noble birth and guardian to twins Alto and Anna, picks up and moves to a remote land. At the easternmost reaches of her new home lies a forest where it’s said witches roam. When Lise one day finds herself at the receiving end of an attack by one such witch, she’s saved by the sudden appearance of a young man named Engetsu. Though they’re strangers, Engetsu is remarkably similar to someone she already knows…?

Story and art by Natsuki Takaya.

Release Date: 7/26/16

My Love Story!!, vol. 9

Yamato starts working at a cake shop, where she meets a handsome pastry chef named Ichinose. Ichinose mistakes Yamato’s kind-hearted actions for signs of affection, and he falls for her! What will Takeo do about this persistent rival?!

Story by Kazune Kawahara and art by Aruko.

Release Date: 7/5/16

Sweetness & Lightning, vol. 1 **New Series**

Teacher Kouhei is a single father who is terrible at cooking. His adorable little daughter Tsumugi barely remembers the cooking of her mother, who’s passed away. But, then, the pair comes across a teenage girl eating rice balls and crying (in joy?) at the park. She takes Kouhei and Tsumugi to her mother’s restaurant, where they taste their first home-cooked meal in ages. A tribute to the power of food to bind people together.

Story and art by Gido Amagakure.

Release Date: 7/26/16

I’m most excited about Horimiya and Honey So Sweet continuing this month. I’ve still got quite a few books from last month to catch up on as well.

What are you picking up this month?

2 Comments

Do you know if Sweetness & Lightning is a romance (teenage girl x single dad) or is it just friendship?

I’m most looking forward to My Love Story!! and Behind the Scenes. Can’t wait till they come in the mail.

Jae Jul 05, 2016
- I’m not sure if it will develop into one. I know the girl gets a one-sided crush on the dad, but I don’t know if he ever returns her feelings because we haven’t finished the story! 🙂
  
  Laura Jul 06, 2016