"What should I read next?" Megathread

Cool. They’re both on my eventually list. If I had to guess, I’ll probly get to the anime first, since manga takes me longer… Also finding I prefer watching adaptations first, so I won’t be grumpy about changes while watching

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Indeed. I almost never watch an anime after reading the source for this reason. I did watch and enjoy Bocchi the Rock after reading (some of) the manga, but that was a rare exception.

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In theory I like watching/reading alongside for language acquisition purposes, but adaptation choices can be so iffy

I’m just starting Bocchi vol 2, and so far it’s a really faithful adaptation. Anything they did fill out was done really well.

That said, there’s a few series I’ve read that have upcoming adaptations I’m looking forward to: ささやくように恋を唄う 1 | L21 and アオのハコ 1 | L23

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Yeah, I feel like the anime studio really understood what Bocchi was going for and expanded things in a way that felt natural and matched the tone of the manga. I hate when anime “expands” on a manga arbitrarily to fill predetermined anime runtimes. That’s usually when it falls flat.

I tried reading a bit of ささやくように恋を唄う and couldn’t get into it, but I may still check out the anime at some point. Though honestly, I really haven’t watched any anime in a while. Just haven’t had the energy or focus for it. The only recent interesting shows are on the harder side, so I haven’t bothered. I really need an easier show (which I expect ささやくように恋を唄う would be) to get back into things.

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Totally agree re: Bocchi!

That or sometimes they think they need to change things for audience appeal reasons… Which is not always wrong, but is detrimental more often than not.

I’m a bit nervous about whether ささこい will be done well or not, but guess we’ll see next month. It should definitely be on the easier side, considering the manga. Anything particular you weren’t into?

Idk if you have a specific level range in mind, but I’ve been enjoying 痛いのは嫌なので防御力に極振りしたいと思います。 S1 | L25 as my easier show recently (both for the language and cuz it’s not too deep, just cgdct)

I don’t remember. I just read a preview (maybe a chapter or so?) and it just didn’t vibe with me.

For watching anime, levels 23 and below are fairly comfortable, and 24-26 is doable. 27 and higher is challenging for sure. I have already watched Bofuri though.

Some possibilities for what I could watch is お隣の天使様にいつの間にか駄目人間にされていた件 S1 | L25, カノン S1 | L21 (rewatch), or WHITE ALBUM 2 S1 | L24 (rewatch). Still not sure I’ll start anything though. If I do I’ll be sure to post in the watching topic.

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Gotcha お隣の天使様 looks tempting… especially at only 12 eps. I should probly finish Bofuri first tho. Anyway, now that we’ve gone way off topic… hope you enjoy whichever thing you choose to read :slight_smile:

Update: I watched & loved it… turns out the LN is already on my wishlist… I may check that out sooner rather than later

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I somehow managed to almost clear my reading list, having finished everything but 砂の女 | L45 | Natively (learnnatively.com) (and disregarding two started but unfinished books from way back which I’m now treating as regular 積読 books again). So obviously, I need to start 3-4 new books asap :rofl:

I’m spoiled for choice, but we’ve talked with @cat about possibly reading 闇祓 | L28 | Natively (learnnatively.com) and with @bungakushoujo about possibly reading ハサミ男 | L35 | Natively (learnnatively.com) (and @nikoru about possibly reading 小川 洋子 or 三浦 しをん?) . I’d be happy to start any or all (or anything else from my 積読, or not yet in my 積読 even - maybe ハンチバック | L31 | Natively (learnnatively.com) with @yukitanuki ?). Here’s a (semi-private) list for my 積読 by the way. Anyone who may want to read one of these together, just let me know and we can start an impromptu informal club. :slight_smile:

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I’d be up to an impromptu book club!! I am currently finishing up 星の子 | L28 | Natively which will approx take me 1-2 weeks and afterwards I would be able to start something new. I probably will aim to read around 5-10 pages per day with ハンチバック | L31 | Natively because I only have it in physical form and lookups will take longer :smiley: It will be my first “grownup book” in physical form, so not sure how steep the learning curve will be for me to get used to it!

There are also a few others on your list that I would like to tackle this year, but no idea when :eyes:

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I’ll get it and wait for you then. Give me a shout when you’re ready to start. Although I can’t promise I’ll be able to restrain myself to 5-10 pages per day, that’s the beauty of informal clubs: we each read at our own pace, and discuss when we’re ready.

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I’m not able to pick up any more books just yet - I’d like to finish one of my in progress ones first. Happy to read it later this year though!

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I am happy to do ハサミ男 basically any time! Seems like you and @yukitanuki may get to ハンチバック first though? I’ve read that one already unfortunately, but I will be lurking the thread! Enjoy :slightly_smiling_face:

I was intrigued by the cover of 俺俺 from your 積読 list and checked the summary, by the way. It really seems like an “omk book”. :rofl:

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Cool, I’ll set up a thread for ハサミ男 today or tomorrow then, and we can start whenever we feel like it. I don’t mind reading several books at once, as you may know, so ハンチバック in 1-2 weeks won’t be a problem. I’m likely to start at least one more in the meantime anyway :sweat_smile:

It does, doesn’t it? I really hope I like it. I’ll keep you posted once I get to it.

@cat - No problem. I just had a look at the in-progress books in your profile and it’s possibly a new record :sweat_smile: Just give me a shout whenever you’re ready.

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It is not on your 積読 list, but I will try anyway (:smile:) since you mentioned 三浦しおん and I noticed you have already read 神去なあなあ日常 | L33 | Natively.
I enjoyed that one immensely and am planning to read its successor 神去なあなあ夜話 | L33 | Natively soon and would enjoy to have company.

@nikoru: I am afraid I do not know whether this would work well as a stand-alone book or not. :thinking:

Alternatively, I would also be interested in 舟を編む | L35 | Natively.

Edit: Realized I posted a link to the mini-series and not to the first book, tried to change it and now it seems not to do me the favor of converting the link properly anymore. :sweat_smile:

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Hmm, I tend not to read series (even such short ones as this) because I like the excitement of something completely new with each book, but on the other hand, I did really like 神去なあなあ日常, and reading 神去なあなあ夜話 would help me fill the “complete a series” bingo square with just one book. :thinking:

You know what, I’m in! When would you like to start? :grin:

(it would be a very strange book club, starting on the second volume as it does, but never mind that)

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Wow, great!! :star_struck:

Would beginning of April still be ok for you? I am reading something else right now and that would give me time to finish that first.
Besides, that would give others at least a chance to read the first book in the series beforehand and join us for the second one. (That said, I would be fine to wait if anyone wants to join and needs more time than that, of course!)

Exactly my plan! This one will fill my “finish a series” bingo square, too. :sunglasses:

(Indeed an unusual book club…)

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April sounds great. I wonder if I should go ahead and make a thread for both books in case people want to read and discuss the first one too, now or later. Or would it be too confusing to have two books in one thread? :thinking:

@bungakushoujo ハサミ男 thread is up!

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Hurray! :partying_face: pinging @Biblio too since I know she has a copy and maybe wanted to join as well

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Oh, I would very much like to leave that up to you. Sounds fine to me, but I guess you have way more experience with book clubs than me. Thank you for offering to set up the thread! :smiling_face:

Summary

Figured out only today how to write in small letters - wanted to reply to your comment the same way :grin: - and how to add Natively book links (not the hyperlink version with preview). Happy that thanks to you I may take things slowly and leave the „how do I set up a thread“ question for another day.

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Thread for Kamusari (both books for now) is up! :slight_smile:

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