Yesterday I finished (again) a volume #5 and with it the whole series:
I liked the story and the images. The image production was quite special in this case, as the author used computer programs and AI to generate the background, probably from fotos. Example:
I gave the series 4 times 4* and one time 5*. The difficulty comes from the author’s usage of out of list and jinmeiyou kanji and the appearance of many unknown animals, especially insects 虫.
August Mangathon 2026
I’m back!! I’ve been reading every day, just gotten a little behind on my reporting. 
Without further ado…
Day 15: MOON・TRICK 7 | L25
Day 16: D.Gray-man 25 | L25
Day 17: MOON・TRICK 8 | L25
I’ve got…four more volumes of DGM left until I’m caught up, and five of Moon Trick (though that most recent volume is tiny). Pretty exciting to check off two series basically at once. 
I’m also officially in “new story” territory for Moon Trick, and an about to be for DGM; it’s amazing how exciting that can be, even if I’m super fuzzy on details for the books I’ve already read. I guess the story’s percolated long enough in my brain to not feel exactly fresh? 
Anyway, here’s an updated look at my completed shelf for the month, a little over halfway through:
Pretty exciting stuff!
Book 1: D.Gray-man 19
Book 2: MOON・TRICK 1
Book 3: D.Gray-man 20
Book 4: MOON・TRICK 2
Book 5: D.Gray-man 21
Book 6: MOON・TRICK 3
Book 7: D.Gray-man 22
Book 8: MOON・TRICK 4
Book 9: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 3
Book 10: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 4
Book 11: MOON・TRICK 5
Book 12: D.Gray-man 23
Book 13: MOON・TRICK 6
Book 14: D.Gray-man 24
Book 15: MOON・TRICK 7
Book 16: D.Gray-man 25
Book 17: MOON・TRICK 8
August Mangathon 2026
Day 18: D.Gray-man 26 | L25
It’s funny; though DGM 26 is also technically a re-read for me, and I last read it more recently than 25 (2019 vs. 2016), I remember 25 better. I’m not 100% sure what I was doing around that time Japanese-wise, but I’m thinking I must’ve devoted 110% of my brain to trying to read 25, and while 26 was still difficult, I must’ve not put in the same amount of effort, maybe (despite that the fact that I doubt my Japanese skills were much better at that point, lol). I am super excited to see where the story goes next, though; I did remember how this volume ended, and remember being on tenterhooks even then.
Book 1: D.Gray-man 19
Book 2: MOON・TRICK 1
Book 3: D.Gray-man 20
Book 4: MOON・TRICK 2
Book 5: D.Gray-man 21
Book 6: MOON・TRICK 3
Book 7: D.Gray-man 22
Book 8: MOON・TRICK 4
Book 9: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 3
Book 10: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 4
Book 11: MOON・TRICK 5
Book 12: D.Gray-man 23
Book 13: MOON・TRICK 6
Book 14: D.Gray-man 24
Book 15: MOON・TRICK 7
Book 16: D.Gray-man 25
Book 17: MOON・TRICK 8
Book 18: D.Gray-man 26
August Mangathon 2026
Day 19: MOON・TRICK 9 | L25
So the mangaka of Moon Trick, 森本秀, has 4 major manga series (one of which is ongoing and currently 83 volumes - 
; I’ve been a long-time fan of her work, but it’s only been this year that I’ve sat down and really worked my way through the stuff of hers that I own. I finished アスタリスク | L25 in February, and 仁獣芳烈伝 | L27 I finished back in late March. (I, thankfully, do not own physical copies of her mega long series. I do own the first 20 digitally, though, so I’d like to give the series a shot one of these days.) Of the three series, so far I think Moon Trick is my favorite, followed by Asterisk, then 仁獣芳烈伝 (no shade on Jinjuu there, it’s a fun series). MT has done a wonderful job imo of balancing it’s slice of life elements with the background plot so far; I’m not usually a big SOL reader, but MT manages to have each individual chapter feel fulfilling. Asterick and Jinjuu are definitely more action-packed manga, so it’s neat to see what the author can do when she can take things slow.
And speaking of her other series, volume 9 of Moon Trick featured a cameo from one of them! Spoiling from which series just in case anyone wants to keep it a surprise for themselves if they’re planning on reading the books: the character is from Asterisk! There was another explicit cameo a book or two ago as well, but this one just felt extra exciting to me. 
The author’s apparently slipped in minor cameos from various G Defend characters as well, but they’ve all been background characters apparently, and I’m not generally familiar with that series.
And in case anyone has been wondering, the MT covers basically never have anything to do with the contents of the books, haha. This one in particular caught my eye, but I think the author just drew them that way to look cool?
(I will need someone to break my chain for me. Thank you! 
)
Book 1: D.Gray-man 19
Book 2: MOON・TRICK 1
Book 3: D.Gray-man 20
Book 4: MOON・TRICK 2
Book 5: D.Gray-man 21
Book 6: MOON・TRICK 3
Book 7: D.Gray-man 22
Book 8: MOON・TRICK 4
Book 9: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 3
Book 10: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 4
Book 11: MOON・TRICK 5
Book 12: D.Gray-man 23
Book 13: MOON・TRICK 6
Book 14: D.Gray-man 24
Book 15: MOON・TRICK 7
Book 16: D.Gray-man 25
Book 17: MOON・TRICK 8
Book 18: D.Gray-man 26
Book 19: MOON・TRICK 9
Chain broken!
The first three volumes of Moon Trick are free to keep on Bookwalker right now and up to volume 7 is on sale. I’ll get around to reading them at some point!
Thank you @Neon_Kitsune! I hope you enjoy the books when you read them!
August Mangathon 2026
You ever have one of those days where the book hits just right and your eyes become a blur and you look up and you haven’t eaten all day?
Day 20: D.Gray-man 27 | L25 AND D.Gray-man 28 | L25 AND D.Gray-man 29 | L25
Yep, you’re seeing right! Three manga finished today, and I’m now officially caught up with DGM! 
These last three books were soooo good. I’ve gone ahead and picked up the latest issues of the magazine DGM is currently running in so I can be 100% caught up, then I’ll be playing the waiting game like everyone else. 
It’s that dilemma of amazing, yet slow publishing series: do you read everything and catch up, only to have to wait? Or do you wait patiently and gamble that your interest in the series won’t die?
And no, in case someone is wondering, I’m not off the hook for reading tomorrow or Saturday. I knew the path I was choosing and enjoyed it all the way. Moon Trick, you’re next on my catch up list!
Book 1: D.Gray-man 19
Book 2: MOON・TRICK 1
Book 3: D.Gray-man 20
Book 4: MOON・TRICK 2
Book 5: D.Gray-man 21
Book 6: MOON・TRICK 3
Book 7: D.Gray-man 22
Book 8: MOON・TRICK 4
Book 9: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 3
Book 10: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 4
Book 11: MOON・TRICK 5
Book 12: D.Gray-man 23
Book 13: MOON・TRICK 6
Book 14: D.Gray-man 24
Book 15: MOON・TRICK 7
Book 16: D.Gray-man 25
Book 17: MOON・TRICK 8
Book 18: D.Gray-man 26
Book 19: MOON・TRICK 9
Book 20: D.Gray-man 27
Book 21: D.Gray-man 28
Book 22: D.Gray-man 29
I bought a bunch of new books – 태양 아래 올리브 (new 김초엽 sf), 자몽살구 클럽 (slack book club book), 당신이 누군가를 죽였다 (Higashino book bc I just had to) was an order I made because I had to buy the book for a slack book club. I finished that book yesterday. It was very good.
then I visited a Korean bookstore in NYC and bought 3 more books - 혼모노 (short story collection that made big waves in Korea – sadly it is quite low comp lmao. 97%), 인비인 (book by the same author as 혼모노), 고래눈이 내리다 (short story collection by 김보영)
I’m thinking I will try to finish 얼마나 닮았는가 soon
I’ve been going through a bunch of books I own recently (without buying too much stuff).
Last in date is 灰と幻想のグリムガル level.12 それはある島と竜を巡る伝説の始まり | L32
It was… fine, I guess. The writing isn’t bad for a light novel, but the content of the book didn’t make any progress on stuff I care about. Maaaaaybe it will come some day, but since I do not own the next volumes, I don’t think I’ll learn about it any time soon.
At least, that book will fill a spot on my bingo.
August Mangathon 2026
Day 21: MOON・TRICK 10 | L25
Day 22: MOON・TRICK 11 | L25
Day 23: MOON・TRICK 12 | L25 and MOON・TRICK 13 | L25
I’m now officially caught up on Moon Trick!
Based on how this last volume went, I’d there’s one, possibly two volumes left in the series, so we’re quite close. I went to go check the publisher’s website to see if any more chapters have been released, but I can’t seem to access it for some reason. :\ (tosuisha.co.jp) Hopefully it’s just due to region blocking and not anything else… Anyway, the mangaka has returned to her action-packed roots for all four of these volumes; so many characters to keep track of, I don’t know how she does it. It’s only been in volume 13 we’ve actually gotten a comprehensive character overview chart at the beginning of the book. 
(Also, I can’t get over how scribbly and goofy that cover looks… What exactly was the inspiration for that, I wonder.)
This series also has the interesting distinction of having full furigana volumes 1-10, but little to none at all 11-13, almost certainly due to those later volume chapters not running in a manga magazine.
I have eight days left in the month (not counting today, as I’ve already read), and I’ve been looking at my shelves trying to decide what I’ll read next. I think I’m going to start 東京ゴースト・トリップ | L24?? next; it’s one of my last two “I bought this completely sight unseen, have little to no idea what this is about, why did I buy this” series left. If I like it enough to finish, then that’ll leave me with one last day of reading (which I’m considering filling with 災厄は僕を好きすぎる 1 | L24?? , which I only own a single volume of). If I don’t like it enough to read all 7 volumes, then I’ve got a few other series I can sub in.
Question for all you reading out there: how many volumes of manga do you read before deciding whether a series isn’t for you? In English I’ll generally try to give it two or three, but I’ve been less flexible lately in Japanese and have a couple series I’ve put down after a single volume.
Here’s my updated shelf for the month:
I’m going to need to move things around a bit soon to make more room!
Book 1: D.Gray-man 19
Book 2: MOON・TRICK 1
Book 3: D.Gray-man 20
Book 4: MOON・TRICK 2
Book 5: D.Gray-man 21
Book 6: MOON・TRICK 3
Book 7: D.Gray-man 22
Book 8: MOON・TRICK 4
Book 9: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 3
Book 10: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 4
Book 11: MOON・TRICK 5
Book 12: D.Gray-man 23
Book 13: MOON・TRICK 6
Book 14: D.Gray-man 24
Book 15: MOON・TRICK 7
Book 16: D.Gray-man 25
Book 17: MOON・TRICK 8
Book 18: D.Gray-man 26
Book 19: MOON・TRICK 9
Book 20: D.Gray-man 27
Book 21: D.Gray-man 28
Book 22: D.Gray-man 29
Book 23: MOON・TRICK 10
Book 24: MOON・TRICK 11
Book 25: MOON・TRICK 12
Book 26: MOON・TRICK 13
If it is from Kindle Unlimited, then half of a volume. I am very quick to drop stuff! I don’t buy manga very often, but when I do I usually research it first/watch the anime first so I am sure I will like it and want to reread it.
She might have needed it for herself after such a long break 
BTW: I can see their site and they only have volumes up until #13, so far. #13 and afterwards, they are print-on-demand. Maybe the unusual cover is also related to that.
I usually decide volume by volume, whether I still want to continue. I’d say I won’t tolerate two 3* books in a row, but there are some exceptions.
But if I see I am maybe three volumes away from the end, I might buy all the remaining ones at once, if there is a sale.
It would not surprise me in the slightest. 
Ah, thank you! Probably just an issue on my end trying to access the website then. I remember being really surprised when I saw #13 was POD; that’s the first time I’ve seen that mid-series.
On Thursday I finished volume #2 of
after I surprised myself when I actually bought it new. Well, so now I am up to date with that series.
The MC can switch his body into a girl‘s one by some pendant. He first has some qualms but finally tries it, and of course there appears some other high school boy and things develop…
August Mangathon 2026
Day 24: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 1 | L27
Volume 1 of a brand-new series finished! I gave myself a bit of a headache reading this, but I’m hoping that now I’m much more familiar with what’s going with the story volumes two and beyond should be much smoother. Not quite sure yet if I’m committed to finishing the full seven volume series, but I’m definitely down for extending the trial one or two more volumes. I left a review here while volume one was fresh on my mind, so I hope you guys enjoy!
One day some of these manga will have graders other than me; I worry sometimes my perception of difficulty is off and skews them. 
Ah, and take some photos so you guys can get a sense of it’s artstyle! 
Book 1: D.Gray-man 19
Book 2: MOON・TRICK 1
Book 3: D.Gray-man 20
Book 4: MOON・TRICK 2
Book 5: D.Gray-man 21
Book 6: MOON・TRICK 3
Book 7: D.Gray-man 22
Book 8: MOON・TRICK 4
Book 9: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 3
Book 10: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 4
Book 11: MOON・TRICK 5
Book 12: D.Gray-man 23
Book 13: MOON・TRICK 6
Book 14: D.Gray-man 24
Book 15: MOON・TRICK 7
Book 16: D.Gray-man 25
Book 17: MOON・TRICK 8
Book 18: D.Gray-man 26
Book 19: MOON・TRICK 9
Book 20: D.Gray-man 27
Book 21: D.Gray-man 28
Book 22: D.Gray-man 29
Book 23: MOON・TRICK 10
Book 24: MOON・TRICK 11
Book 25: MOON・TRICK 12
Book 26: MOON・TRICK 13
Book 27: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 1
I just finished 狼と香辛料 18 | L37 from my KU pile of shame! And oh, did I like it. I’ve always liked 支倉凍砂’s writing style, and I was not disappointed. There was no need to be apprehensive after all; it’s not just filler, or if it is, it’s well crafted filler! I wrote a very non-spoilery review, in case there’s anyone else out there needlessly hesitating. I also found out in the afterword that you can read the short stories in these spring logs on the official website, if anyone is interested in checking those out. The oldest ones are at the bottom.
Next up will be 新説 狼と香辛料 狼と羊皮紙 | L30?? . I think at this point I may as well follow publishing order. 
August Mangathon 2026
Day 25: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 2 | L27
The return of kitty! 
Continuing on with 東京ゴースト・トリップ, we finish volume two today. The series has a lot of heart so far; it’s not likely going to enter my top 10 anytime soon, but it’s decently entertaining for a random buy. Today’s reading went much better than yesterday’s; I didn’t time myself for either book, but book two felt quicker and easier mentally once I crossed that book one hump.
Book 1: D.Gray-man 19
Book 2: MOON・TRICK 1
Book 3: D.Gray-man 20
Book 4: MOON・TRICK 2
Book 5: D.Gray-man 21
Book 6: MOON・TRICK 3
Book 7: D.Gray-man 22
Book 8: MOON・TRICK 4
Book 9: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 3
Book 10: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 4
Book 11: MOON・TRICK 5
Book 12: D.Gray-man 23
Book 13: MOON・TRICK 6
Book 14: D.Gray-man 24
Book 15: MOON・TRICK 7
Book 16: D.Gray-man 25
Book 17: MOON・TRICK 8
Book 18: D.Gray-man 26
Book 19: MOON・TRICK 9
Book 20: D.Gray-man 27
Book 21: D.Gray-man 28
Book 22: D.Gray-man 29
Book 23: MOON・TRICK 10
Book 24: MOON・TRICK 11
Book 25: MOON・TRICK 12
Book 26: MOON・TRICK 13
Book 27: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 1
Book 28: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 2
August Mangathon 2026
Day 26: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 3 | L27
Super tired today; I maaay have skimmed this book a bit. I love the covers, but I’ve been debating whether I want to do volume 4. The books are harmless fun, but will I even remember them when I’m done? I only have four left at worst. I will need to start reading Saturday’s manga early; I’m once again going to likely be busy a good chunk of that day.
Book 1: D.Gray-man 19
Book 2: MOON・TRICK 1
Book 3: D.Gray-man 20
Book 4: MOON・TRICK 2
Book 5: D.Gray-man 21
Book 6: MOON・TRICK 3
Book 7: D.Gray-man 22
Book 8: MOON・TRICK 4
Book 9: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 3
Book 10: ホテル・メッツァペウラへようこそ 4
Book 11: MOON・TRICK 5
Book 12: D.Gray-man 23
Book 13: MOON・TRICK 6
Book 14: D.Gray-man 24
Book 15: MOON・TRICK 7
Book 16: D.Gray-man 25
Book 17: MOON・TRICK 8
Book 18: D.Gray-man 26
Book 19: MOON・TRICK 9
Book 20: D.Gray-man 27
Book 21: D.Gray-man 28
Book 22: D.Gray-man 29
Book 23: MOON・TRICK 10
Book 24: MOON・TRICK 11
Book 25: MOON・TRICK 12
Book 26: MOON・TRICK 13
Book 27: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 1
Book 28: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 2
Book 29: 東京ゴースト・トリップ 3
If you ever do read the next volume, I’ll be curious. I found it really frustrating. Also what are the parts you care about?
I should finish that series at some point… It’s not physical for me though, so no incentive here.
Romance and character growth
I leave the forums for a couple of weeks and eefara has read 100 books
What are you going to do on September 1? Keep the manga momentum going or go back to novels?
