Reviews

Library Wars : Love & War by Kiro Yumi

underworld's review against another edition

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

kirstenrose22's review against another edition

2.0

Every so often, I try to expand my boundaries by reading things I wouldn't usually, like manga. I've yet to find any manga that really grabbed me, but this one - with themes of libraries and censorship - looked like it might fit the bill a little better. Alas, most of it was taken up with boot camp training and a crush on a mysterious long-lost stranger. And some whining. Eh. It was just okay - but nothing special. Also, I find that most manga characters (in the limited books I've read) look identical to me, and I have a lot of trouble telling them all apart, which probably doesn't help with my understanding of the storyline.

So I'm seeking manga recs, if anyone has some favorite titles to share with me.

celinep's review

lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

aeoliandeductress's review against another edition

4.0

Think Fahrenheit 451 but with shenanigans and love arcs. It's very entertaining, if not a bit predictable (or at least I think). Enjoying it quite a bit.

bantwalkers's review against another edition

2.0

I pretty much hate Manga. There is some good stuff. This is not it.

lavender__'s review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

  In Library Wars, the library forces, an elite organization, fights against the federal government’s Media Betterment Committee, which exercises extreme censorship over media. Libraries fight against censorship and have their own Library Defense Forces (LDF).
The protagonist, Iku Kasahara, is a young woman who idolized and entered the LDF after one of their soldiers saved her book from being confiscated, while she was a teenager.
I was unexpectedly charmed by the story. One thing that stood out to me was the book's thoughtfulness. For example, in chapter two,

Iku tries to help an elderly man in a wheelchair onto an elevator. He rejects her and politely tells her that he can manage by himself, making Iku embarrassed that she may have imposed herself on him.

I feel that commonly, writers use physically disabled characters to make able-bodied characters seem better without actually uplifting the former. This helped characterize Iku as a caring person without ignoring

the disabled man’s

autonomy, which I personally enjoyed.
The book isn't focused on romance, but it's worth noting that

Iku is implied to have a crush on the soldier who saved her, and that one of her superiors cares very deeply about her despite his prickly persona.

Overall, I enjoyed the manga. I think Library Wars has the potential to say some pretty interesting things about freedom of speech and how the government will always try to exercise control over it. I'll definitely read the next volume to see what Iku will face next.

bethl's review against another edition

4.5

I think this might be my favourite manga artist I’ve come across so far. I loved the little panels from her narrating her thoughts, it was a nice touch. I already love all the characters and it’s a great topic that’s unfortunately becoming more and more relevant. Excited to continue the series :)

nekoneko_'s review against another edition

5.0

I absolutely love the storyline of this manga! Censorship is a huge problem--still! It's both fascinating and a little scary to think that things like this happen in our world today. Kasahara is a character with lots of room to grow and learn--and that's what I like about her. She's got grit and knows what she wants and may cry about it, but certainly isn't going to give up. Having watched the anime, I know the storyline a little bit, but I'm glad I picked this one up and can't wait to continue reading!

clowdywings's review against another edition

5.0

Everything I imagined it would be and more!!! It’s so good! It reminds me of Fahrenheit 451 + military (maybe Fullmetal Alchemist) + Fullmetal Panic.

miriia's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It was a solid beginning, I'll be looking forward to the next volumes