March 16, 2025
Relevant gradings from other volumes
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
spaghettiman graded
Volume 2 is surprisingly a much easier read than the first. They still get pretty deep into the weeds on some weird, esoteric gaming-related topics but the trivia is always interesting and it doesn't make as many esoteric historical comparisons (or have the names of complex chemicals). I feel like this volume is also a bit more focused on the character development which makes it more compelling. The two girls are clearly starting to become two friends (and say each other's names a lot so I can finally remember who's who!) and while each chapter still focuses around some odd point of gaming ephemera, it's starting to also be in service of a plotline. I'm hoping we'll see some of the deeper threads develop in further volumes. I'd like to see more of how Yoshiko's game turns out, and one chapter takes a surprising turn into creepypasta territory (while also elucidating some cool trivia). We have a new character in the plucky game story employee who's a bit more personable than Yoshiko but also has a deep well of strange knowledge. It's still tricky in places but the art is great and I think it's shaping up into something special.
(Also I was jazzed that I have that same transparent Salamander cartridge)