In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves--the Library Forces!
Iku and Commander Inamine are abducted by Bakushu-kai terrorists, who demand sensitive material from the library's protected collection in return for the hostages! Dojo is worried about Iku, his problem student with limited field experience. But what Iku lacks in training she more than makes up for in gumption, and she is not going to let library material go without a fight!
Re-read 2021. This was so much fun and so exciting. I just LOVED the first part and how both the commander and Iku had a way to telling people where they are so they could be found. I am also glad that we get Dojo's POV a bit more and see that scene that is so important to Iku (though she forgot her prince, such a manga thing). I wonder when he will tell her. And tell about his feelings, because while things are cute, I do get a bit tired of his constant jojoing. Liking, strict, liking, strict, angry, strict, angry, liking. You are making it very confusing. The parents part, I definitely could understand Iku. I wasn't too big a fan of her parents. Though I still wish she was honest. While my relationship with my parents is bad, I would still not lie to them. There is also a cute bonus manga featuring puppies! And I laughed so much when they held that party and Iku found out how much she could drink. :P All in all, a very fun manga though I definitely hope for even more action and see Iku getting more of a role in the squad.
This one, simply because of the beginning and the sexism from the parents, wasn’t as good as it could be.
I HATED the sexism. I was grinding my teeth all throughout that scene. I still hate it and I haven’t fully read through it in a couple days. If a girl wants to be actively fighting in the military, let her. See what she can do. It’s going to be scary but you gotta let her do her stuff!
The beginning was the continuation of the abduction. The story was carried out fairly poorly. When someone gets on the phone like the MC, OF COURSE they’ll be talking in code. Duh. I can’t believe the military in this sometimes.
We did get backstory that I totally knew and expected. I mean, come on. I could clearly see that her prince and savior was Dojo. It was practically screaming it! Ah well.
There are some scenes that hit you in the feels. They’re pretty well done. I did expect them, but I’m not complaining since they were pretty cute! (*´꒳`*)
Sometimes the MC annoys me. She’s ditzy but always puts her best effort forward. The ditziness gets drawn out occasionally though and that specifically drives me crazy.
One of the characters that I’m finding out that I’m enjoying learning about would have to be Komaki. I really love his hair. It was drawn so well. I’m glad his character is being shown to having more depth than a “smiley positive instructor.”
Also the bonus story with the puppy was super cute! This story already gave me FMA Roy/Riza vibes and now with a puppy it’s even more similar. I enjoyed it a ton!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"Isn't it a bit sad that I can't be myself with my own parents?"
Summary This volume finished off the story from the last volume, and then continued on with another story that will continue into the next volume.
Story/plot I had a few problems with this volume. I hoped by now the side characters would have more involvement in the story. With a story like this, I just don't enjoy it as much if the focus is primarily on two characters. It doesn't let the story live up to its true potential. Of course this is just my personal opinion and does not make this manga bad in anyway. I just personally would enjoy it more if the other characters got more involvement in the story. It's a story about protecting the right to free creativity but most of the story focuses on romance, which I just feel a little disappointed with. On a side note, the romance is lovely. I just wish it wasn't one of the main focuses in almost every scenario.
Art style The art continued to be beautiful. I absolutely love Kiiro Yumi's art style. The full page illustrations were gorgeous in this volume.
Characters ~ Kasahara ~ I do love Kasahara's character, but I felt she was a little Mary Sue in this volume. Now don't get me wrong, I love complimenting someone for their successes, hard work and talent. I do not like the tall poppy syndrome. But sometimes I feel like it can be too much. And I felt like the first half of this volume was just characters going on about how amazing Kasahara is. Which she is, yes, but come on! I get the point please stop carrying on or she comes across as a perfect and un relatable character. Besides, the other characters are all amazing and don't get anywhere as much credit and it becomes irritating. The second half of this volume as a lot better though. I loved seeing a different side of Kasahara and by meeting her parents I got a better glimpse into what has made her who she is.
~ Dojo ~ I enjoyed seeing Dojo's past through his perspective. I felt like I got to know him better as a character. He kissed Kasahara's butt a lot in this volume but I guess it's cute. I like his over the top affection for her, it's sweet. But again, I just felt like in this volume it got a bit too much for me. Sometimes I feel like his always constant and perfect ability to be there for Kasahara makes him feel a little unrealistic and fake. But hopefully it will never get to that point because I do like him as a character a lot.
~ Side characters ~ I guess my above points sum up my thoughts here. Meeting Kasahara's parents was nice, but even then it focused more on her and Dojo. I guess I'm just getting a bit sick of it and want more from the other characters. I enjoyed the story more when Tezuka was given lots of involvement in the story. It gave the story more life and made it more interesting.
Conclusion This volume was still a fun read and by no means did I think it was bad. For a shoujo manga it's doing all it really needs to and I can imagine that if I'd read this when I was young I would have absolutely loved this! Now that I'm older I guess I just look for more complexity and variety in a story. I still look forward to the next volume!
"My supervisor is gruff and demanding. But I really respect him. He's a great person. He is a kind person. It's just that sometimes it's hard to see. I hope others will be able to recognise this about him."
Iku and Commander Inamine are abducted by Bakushu-kai terrorists, who demand sensitive material from the library's protected collection in return for the hostages! Dojo is worried about Iku, his problem student with limited field experience. But what Iku lacks in training she more than makes up for in gumption, and she is not going to let library material go without a fight!
My Thoughts:
Iku handles herself really well in the hostage incident. We also get a flashback from Dojo that confirms something that has been obvious since the end of chapter 1. Still, it was nice to get that confirmation. It was also nice to see why he did what he did that day and why he's such a stickler for protocol since then. I loved seeing how much faith he had in Iku and believing that she would be okay because he was the one that trained her. He was right, though. He was so relieved, too. He seriously embraced her and told her that he was proud of her. I loved that scene. The two of them are getting closer though both of them are trying hard to ignore it. So silly.
Next, Iku's parents showed up for their visit. She's pretending to be a regular librarian, but her parents keep asking questions she can't quite deal with and she hates to be alone with them. She always feels as though her mother is criticizing her for not acting like a girl and that her father always backs her mother up. This time when they started arguing, he basically told them to shut up. Iku wasn't used to that. I think her dad already knows she isn't just a librarian. A couple of times, he even does things that make me think he's trying to keep his wife from discovering Iku's lie. How much longer can she expect to keep them in the dark?
Aha! The secret is finally out, even though like the author said it was very obvious. However, I loved getting an inside peek of a certain event from a certain character. It brought out some major feels.
This was really great to see Iku with her parents and see how her friends help her. Have to love Dojo!
Also, the bonus manga is ADORABLE!! Seriously, I think those two stories were my favorite out of all the ones this author has done and eagerly look forward to them at the end of every book now.
Good grief these are just too freaking adorable. Honestly, I am not even that big of a fan of shogo, but holy crap. These characters are just too cute for words.
Are they that original?
No.
Are the fluffy scenarios that original?
No.
But the dystopian universe is! And that plus the humor makes this manga great!
I don't know which are more terrifying - Iku's parents or murderous kidnapping terrorists? The adventure continues and we find out the truth about Iku's "prince" - which we all saw coming but don't mind anyway. :)
4/5 I find it extremely hilarious that Iku cannot remember the face of her "prince." Like what? -"Oh, the guy I've been daydreaming about for the last five years? Yeah, I have no recollection of what he looks like. I couldn't spot him even if he was standing right in front of me."
Meanwhile we get Dojo's side of the story (finally!) and the reader sees that the two of them looked at each other directly for probably at least ten seconds. !!!
Guys, this is hilarious. I don't even know -"Somehow she doesn't recognize me? This makes actual no sense."
Yes, Dojo, that would be correct.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
As usual, another cute and fun installment! I loved that we finally get to see who Iku's prince was (well, I mean, we always knew, but it's finally revealed). This one focuses mostly on her blossoming relationship with Dojo, as well as her struggle with her family's view on gender roles.
This was a pretty good volume, with plenty of action in the first half and some back story on Iku in the second. I'm not a huge fan of her mom's attitude about her being athletic but at least Iku does stand up for herself. Check out my YouTube channel for bookish videos and monthly wrap ups!
There was a lot happening in this volume. Iku was in a hostage situation with the director and had to be rescued. She gave very good clues to the Library Team, but Dojo was still very worried. The identity of the Mystery Prince from Iku's youth was finally revealed, but not to Iku. It was a very obvious reveal though that everyone pretty much knew from Volume 1. And then we had a meet and greet with Iku's parents, who don't really know that she's one of the library fighters. This was another fun volume. I was surprised in how many things it covered. I'm ready for the next one.
Ahhhhh. This is my favourite volume in the series so far! The Commander of the library forces is kidnapped by the terrorists who want sensitive library material in exchange for his return. The Commander is in a wheelchair and Iku is right beside him when the kidnapping happens so she jumps in along with them saying she will look after the Commander. An exciting situation, with secret maneuvers and a final battle that leads us only to the middle of the book! Of course Dojo, was worried about Iku when she was in danger but knew she could handle herself since he had trained her so well. And look at the picture on the cover, don't Iku and Dojo look so close? Yes, what we have all been waiting for finally happens in volume 4. A brief interlude with the two of them in each other's arms, so romantic {sigh}! But it's over before you know it and nobody has revealed their feelings and the next thing you know Iku has to start the beginning of a three week visit from her parents who think she is a cleric at the library and would send her right back home if they knew she was an active librarian soldier. I'm loving this manga even though the romances are not my usual fare. It is funny, sweet, has an intriguing futuristic plot and the characters are so lovable.
Okay I don't know what else to say. Later on in this one, it got adorable. Also what's with puppies in anime and manga? They just so cute. Maybe its the expressions or how they drawn. Also you can't help but have a big smile on your face. Oh and more moments with Iku and Dojo. And the puppy.
Sorry gushing too much there. Anyway, I loved this volume. It had lots of moments of cute, but moments where you're like, this was good and awww. Ah right, good volume. Love that cover!
No no n o p e I can't even with how utterly and completely perfect Iku and Dojo are for each other. This is my favorite volume so far, especially for the Iku/Dojo scenes and the big revelation about a certain someone's secret prince. The bonus manga with the puppy was too cute.
We have confirmation on the identity of 'The Prince' yes it was obvious, but you never know for sure. More guns, more bullets flying in the library, more library fun. I enjoyed it chuckled and went immediate;y to book 5
The look on Dojo’s face after the cliffhanger of the previous volume kills me every time. 😩😩😩 The poor guy… I loved the search and rescue for Iku and the general though! It really showed the task force working together and being the freedom fighters they are, not just for books, but for their own as a whole and it was really inspiring! And I’m glad Dojo apologized to Iku for his previous words—that’s my boy. ☺️
And we finally see the major turning point on Iku’s life from Dojo’s POV and oh my goodness it was heartbreaking how one event can affect one person for good while another only gains ill from it and even might lose a piece of themselves along the way, only to gain something back from it even if it’s in an entirely different way then before.
And then we have Iku and her parents…oh boy is lying going to come back and bite her in the butt. 😬😂 I really related to her struggles with not being able to be herself around her parents and just how she feels that being herself is seen as a failure to them. That really hit hard, and I’m glad Dojo said something to her father, though I suspect her dad really wants to get to know Iku for who she really is now rather then what he wanted her to be before. I hope I’m right about that. 👀
SO can’t wait to start the next one! Eeee!!!!
Content: characters are taken hostage; mild swearing; violence, gun fights, and blood (nothing over PG-13); a girl is accused of shoplifting; a character has a bad relationship with her parents and lies to them; characters drink and get drunk; a drunk guy tries to touch a passed out girl (he is stopped and nothing happens)
Iku's parents come to visit her at work, but there's a huge problem - they think she is a noncombatant working as a Library Clerk. With the help of Instructor Dojo and Asako, Iku works both days on Clerk shifts, and they all might be able to convince her parents that she does indeed work as a Clerk. They just have to stay clear of Komaki, who doesn't believe in lying, but has promised to take shifts in the records room, far away from Iku and her parents. This deceit eats away at Iku, especially because she just got off a successful mission to save the general of the Library Forces, but she can't be truthful about the part she played!
Iku may be a college-aged adult who is training to enter dangerous situations and fire weapons, but when it comes to handling her parents, she folds like so many of us do. She's worried about how her mother never thinks she's feminine enough. She's scared her dad will continue to just take her mom's side all the time. And every conversation circles back to some flaw or something she should be doing besides working for library services. If her parents are this worried about her being a clerk, I can see why Iku doesn't want to be truthful! This struggle to be honest and not disappoint our parents is something I think is nigh-on universal. This volume also contains some great reveals that, truthfully all readers will see coming, but it's nice to have official confirmation.
Action - The Library Task Force rescues Iku and Commander Inamine from library terrorists. (Just typing "library terrorists" makes me smile.)
Hints of romance - We officially learn what we already know: the unidentified man that Iku considers her "prince" was actually Dojo. (Just go with it.)
Iku's parents visit, unaware of her position on the Library Task Force. Well, I'm pretty sure her father knows and that he senses Iku and Dojo will someday be ♡ Iku-and-Dojo ♡.
Fellow soldiers recognize Iku's never-give-up outlook and her courage under all circumstances. Dojo recognized those qualities all along and finally tells Iku, though he quickly returns to yelling about her ineptitude. Overall, he feels responsible for her joining the Library Task Force and wants her ability to match her actions.
Recommend: Manga, so not for everyone. Me: I bring one home and read through it quickly. The next day I start the read-through-it-slowly. The illustrations seal the five-star deal.
A series I simply cannot put down, and have zero intentions of putting down, Kiiro Yumi's "Library Wars: Love & War" continues to entertain and satiate my inner "book whale"!
One feels that no matter how close one is with their family, there are thoughts, feelings, and passions that are near impossible to share with them. Whether it is out of true fear, a lack of trust, or not knowing the potential outcome (even if it is for the best), it is strong and can cause more pain than one could imagine. As we see with Kasahara, it is something that needs to/will be revealed in good time, just for her sanity's sake (and the sanity of those around her).
I am overjoyed that I have volume 5 ready to go, but will have to (painstakingly so) savor it until the next two books in the series arrive at my local library. If Kasahara and Dojo can gradually be vulnerable with each other and those around them, then I can wait a few weeks for the delivery to arrive!
What excitement! As expected, Iku and Dojo have a moment after the heat of battle, but it was interesting to see them continue to grow closer outside the aspect of their work, in ways the are acknowledging as well as not. I feel like the characters of Iku's parents are an excellent way for young readers to connect to her character. Many people feel like they fall short of their parent's expectations and clash often, and I thought the portrayal of the interactions between the three of them was very realistic, if sad and unfortunate. Iku's belief in the importance of her work is admirable, but how she expresses that to her family is not effective.
This series so far has been causing me to dismiss my preconceived notions about graphic novels; these books are better than I expect them to be. This bit of the story shows the protagonist hosting her parents, who have come to visit her and the see some of the work she does. While they know she works in a library, she had not told them she is part of a group who uses military-style defense techniques when threatened by a group trying to censor books.
This volume confirms everything we already knew about the 'prince' that saved our girl some years ago. We got a lot of this manga from Dojo's point of view and that's a nice change. We get to see our girl trying to deal with her parents. I love really loved this volume. It's my favorite so far. If you're not reading this series.... you're missing out!