Thoughts on New Game! Volume 10

One project wraps up in the tenth volume of Shotaro Tokuno’s New Game! manga, and another one begins. Momiji also receives an interesting offer.

Front cover of the tenth volume of New Game!, featuring Umiko Ahagon, Shizuku Hazuki, Aoba Suzukaze and Christina Wako Yamato

With this volume of New Game!, Eagle Jump’s development of Destruction Dodgeball is complete and they spend some time celebrating that fact. Even with another game being released at the same time, the team’s efforts are well rewarded. Destruction Dodgeball even causes a big enough stir to get its own doujin event, which the Eagle Jump girls take the time to visit. The most important thing to come from the game’s success, though, is Momiji’s name being put out there. Before we get to that, the manga gives some time with Kou and Rin, as they go house hunting together. Some very nice stuff going on there. There’s also a company trip to Okinawa, which means some swimsuits – despite it being March, and not exactly very warm. The main focus of this particular volume, though, would have to be the aforementioned offer that Momiji receives. After her work on Destruction Dodgeball, she has various people reaching out to her. One offer in particular – as a light novel illustrator – is something that she seriously considers, partially due to the role Aoba will have in Eagle Jump’s next big project. Turns out being a light novel illustrator can be lonely work, and we get a contrast between Aoba and Momiji. Aoba is constantly getting feedback from Kou as she works, whereas Momiji’s editor maintains radio silence more often than not. The question of work being fun or not is brought up, and it is plain to see how Momiji feels about the light novel work. In this volume’s afterword, Shotaro Tokuno mentions how the editor’s words were based on past experience. I thought that was quite an interesting addition to the story. Momiji gains some valuable experience due to that whole thing, and reaffirms her rivalry with Aoba. Excellent volume of New Game! this time around, focusing on some rather interesting things. A character designer may find their workload increasing, but it doesn’t mean everything will work out in the end. Fortunately, the Eagle Jump team are there to support one another.