There are few things I dislike more than finishing a manga volume and reaching over to pick up the next installment, only to realize I forgot to check it out.
You needn’t fear a dangling cliffhanger when it comes to my first recommendation. DMPL has added ComicsPlus to our list of databases, making manga and graphic novels easier to access than ever. All published volumes of Minato’s Laundromat, which chronicles a high schooler’s infatuation with a local business owner in his small town, are available whenever I need a dose of lighthearted friendship, romance and funny family dynamics.
Insomniacs After School follows a pair of students who just want to get some sleep but end up finding friendship and romance almost by accident. Ex-overworked students will relate to Ganta and Isaki’s struggles, and the solace they find in the stars and each other.
I’m in Love with the Villainess also features a main character who leaves behind her chaotic work life in favor of living as her true self and finding true love. When Rei wakes up in her favorite romance roleplaying game from when she was a teen, she decides to seduce the villainess, instead of any of the game’s princely suitor options.
It’s easier than ever to read my favorite manga series from when I was a teen, I Hear the Sunspot. Originally translated via fan projects when it began serialization in 2013, I Hear the Sunspot follows a hard-of-hearing college student, Kohei, who finds friendship and eventually romance with an over-the-top and optimistic classmate, Taichi. Though updates have come slowly over the past 10 years, I’m always excited to learn about new installments.
Arlette Uribe-Gonzalez is a library assistant at the Des Moines Public Library. She spends her time knitting, snuggling with her cats, or stumbling across new hobbies (see: obsessions). This article was originally published in Little Village’s May 2025 issue.
