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Fence (Single Issues) #26

Fence Challengers: Sweet Sixteen #1

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The Kings Row fencing team has made it all the way to the final sixteen in the tournament! But now they have to face the best of the best…

It’s Seiji against Marcus, the fencer who made him fall in love with the sport to begin with; and Nick vs. Kyle LaCoste, under the watchful eye of none other than his estranged father.

C.S. Pascat’s acclaimed sports-romance returns with the next thrilling installment of the GLAAD Media Award-nominated Fence!

48 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2025

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168 people want to read

About the author

C.S. Pacat

71 books16.7k followers
C.S. Pacat is the USA-Today best-selling author of Dark Rise, the Captive Prince trilogy, and the GLAAD-nominated graphic novels Fence.

Born in Australia and educated at the University of Melbourne, C.S. Pacat has lived in a number of cities, including Tokyo and Perugia, and currently resides and writes in Melbourne.

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5 stars
157 (46%)
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135 (39%)
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45 (13%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
Profile Image for Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.
Author 21 books5,821 followers
Read
February 12, 2025
Loved the latest publication in the Fence series! First started reading this series back in 2020 and so it's almost a comfort read at this point. It's always so nice returning back to this world, this sport and these characters.
Profile Image for a_n_i_t_a.
499 reviews23 followers
August 26, 2025
To be continued…. !! 😩😩😩

I love this series 🤺❤️ who would’ve ever thought?! Fencing?? But it is SO GOOD.

Things I especially loved this chapter -
Seiji and Nicholas’ continued personal growth. I’m still a bit shook when they’re actually nice to each other 🤭
The team actually being a team… including Aiden, although he still has his typical nonchalance 😆
Nicholas’ secret this close >< to being discovered 😬
The appointment talk 🥹

But there’s another side to it. When you’re ahead, you can overlook the people behind you.

The worst parts -
No more instalments yet and I need closure!
Profile Image for Lauren Lanz.
900 reviews308 followers
January 12, 2025
I was so focused on the Nichoji crumbs in the last Fence issue—given that there wasn’t much actual fencing going on—that I nearly lost sight of everything else I love about these comics. Sweet Sixteen sees that the story finds its footing again, though, highlighting some interesting bouts as King’s Row aims to make it to finals and win.

With the excruciatingly slow publication pace of this series, I was really happy about all that happened in this issue. The last one felt like buildup while this one was all action. I can’t wait for King’s Row to take home the title so Nichols and Seiji can have a celebratory “appointment”…
Profile Image for Ben Howard.
1,495 reviews254 followers
January 30, 2025
"I learned that recently during an appointment."


C.S. Pacat I will feast on the Seiji/Nick crumbs you provide!!!

This was a great issue. The fencing scenes were exciting, as was the insight we get into Marcus and his team that follows from the last issue. But my favourite moments were when King's Row were being a team. Like they were made to fence together!

I need the next issue now. 🤺🤺
Profile Image for Julia.
147 reviews
January 12, 2025
and on the eighth day, pacat created Fence Challengers: Sweet Sixteen #1
Profile Image for Lucy.
368 reviews18 followers
January 1, 2025
Pacat really said you're gonna read about every single match and thank me for the slow torture
(and I did)
Profile Image for Kristel (hungryandhappy).
1,874 reviews91 followers
January 1, 2025
This issue was very heavy of fencing but also had a few Seiji blushes which are always so great to witness. Nicholas and Seiji talking about the team while pink is all around them and the personal space is minimal. I am happy happy!
They need to go to more "appointments" together!
Profile Image for Nott.
666 reviews46 followers
April 27, 2025
Gosh, they are so sweet I now have cavities. I missed these boys SO MUCH, it's impossible to give C.S.Pacat's work less then 100 stars.
Profile Image for sol ☼.
421 reviews91 followers
March 12, 2025
Ya extrañaba a mis bbs pero igual no pasó mucho en este tomo
Profile Image for Saimi Korhonen.
1,333 reviews56 followers
January 12, 2025
“Seiji, you can carry us a long way. Maybe all the way to the final. But if we’re aiming to win the final, we need to be able to carry you too.”

The boys of Kings Row are doing their best to win their way to the top 16 teams of the State Championships. But can they beat Marcus, a star fencer who has returned to fight for his school's team? And can Nicholas, riled up by Kyle, Jesse Coste's – and Nicholas's – cousin, keep his head in the game?

As always, reading a new issue of Fence was an absolute delight. This is perhaps my favorite comic series of all time so a new addition to it is always a joy. I love Pacat's world and characters, and I adore Johanna the Mad's cute and expressive artwork. This being just one issue does not, obviously, leave a whole lot of time for major developments for happen, but we do get some really good developments regarding some of the bigger storylines of the comic, such as Bobby

This issue also shows just how wonderfully Seiji has developed as a person. He is no longer that stuck-up, arrogant, self-centred boy he used to be. He knows he is brilliant and he does not lack confidence, but he has learned to trust his teammates and not just think of his own ego. Him agreeing to Another memorable character beat for me was Aiden's fencing bout where he shocks everyone by

Nicholas and Seiji have some super cute moments in this issue. Johanna the Mad does god's work whenever she places them in front of a hot pink background or draws them sharing little glances. They are so in love it's disgusting. I adore them. Bobby and Dante, another duo I love and ship, have one small but adorable moment, even if it was a moment shared by a very excitable Tanner. Dante being present at all in the State Championships is enough to make me giggle because we all know he is not there for the fencing, but for Bobby. Dante doesn't give a shit about fencing but he cares about Bobby and because this is all so important to him, it's worth it for Dante as well. They are THE CUTEST. Even though they are such a small side couple, I love them the most, perhaps.

One character I didn't expect to feel much toward was Marcus. He is this superstar of fencing and someone Kings Row struggles against, but he is not a repeat of Jesse Coste. He is a much nicer guy and I like how we get to find out his backstory as well, even if, it seems, he might not end up being a regular character in the series. I felt

It is painful to only have one issue every now and then of Fence, even if it is slightly longer than your average comic issue. I love this series so much and would happily read an issue every month. Getting back to these characters always makes me smile, thanks to Pacat's wonderful storytelling and Johanna the Mad's incredible art.
Profile Image for Robyn.
186 reviews
January 2, 2025
Nick constantly worrying about Seiji’s wellbeing…. Seiji sticking up for Nick…. phewwww c.s. pacat I cannot do this 1 match per volume thing please release 10 volumes right now or I will riot
Profile Image for tomlindrea.
246 reviews6 followers
January 14, 2025
qué ganas de estar en el 2078 y que nichoji por fin sea canon
Profile Image for nadja.
477 reviews28 followers
August 4, 2025
5 stars and also fuck you pacat for not making this longer

Read: Jan 2025
Avg 2025
Profile Image for Hilary Fudge.
734 reviews5 followers
September 4, 2025
We get more fencing in this volume and a Kings Row win. Everyone playing at their best and I love that for them. We have reference to Seiji and Nicholas's “appointment” and I'm here for it...even though I need for them to figure everything out. They are my everything and I love them dearly. And not only that, but Nicholas finally shares his secret with someone...I don't know who I thought it would be originally, but it totally makes sense who it actually was imo.

I’m so in love with this series, and who would have believed it cause it's about fencing, but I'm here for it!
Profile Image for Lex.
224 reviews8 followers
February 1, 2025
Just when the story is finally moving forward after years and years and yearsssssss this ends on a cliffhanger.

Actual rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Profile Image for Gabi.
241 reviews7 followers
June 21, 2025
Nicholas y Seiji, no son un ship, no son una amistad, son una religión.
Profile Image for valeria (๑•᎑•๑).
343 reviews7 followers
December 28, 2025

oh that final panel…yes i’m coping heated rivalry final ep with the fence comics and WHAT ABOUT IT? seiji my sweet sweet child how i love you
Profile Image for Lauren Carnes.
36 reviews1 follower
January 2, 2025
Love this series! I was so excited when I saw a new one this morning and immediately bought it and finished it! I was all in for each match and couldn't get enough of our sweet moments between Nicholas and Seiji. And come on, Aiden...love him! 💙
Profile Image for Vee.
29 reviews
April 15, 2025
So you’re telling me I graduated high school, moved to a different country, graduated university, got a job, changed a job, moved house several times, fell in love, got my heart broken, read countless of books and manhwas and fanfictions and these two still haven’t even held hands romantically?!?!

4/5 bc it still slaps I guess
Profile Image for airany.
192 reviews7 followers
January 14, 2025
I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD LIVE THE DAY WHEN SEIJI WOULD LET NICHOLAS FENCE INSTEAD OF HIM !!! even when they are at risk of losing this decisive match, my son has grown so much as a character and has finally learned how to work as a team 😭🤏🏽
Profile Image for debchan.
432 reviews19 followers
May 13, 2025
it's been 11 months since i last read a fence comic, i had to read volumes #4-#6 to get a refresher.

first of all, after reading so much manga, i was hella confused why nothing made sense before realizing i was reading it right to left instead of left to right which is crazy. but secondly, as i'm reading blue lock specifically i do think i enjoy sports mangas/comics way more when i know next to nothing about the sport. bc like nicholas improving in 3 days with some special flick technique? i'm so on board. but an unrealistic football skill learned in the span of seconds? sorry i can't believe that. and then it's the characters too like this nagireo (as of ch 302 which is depressing for nagi) slowburn will never become canon obviously nor will this kainess revelation. but then here we are with nicholas and seiji and jesse blushing every other page when chatting, plus aiden being so damn obvious with harvard. it's like whiplash going from one to the other.

thoughts below, UNTAGGED SPOILERS AHEAD

anyways. seiji wins his match obviously, but other top players are resting for the later matches. (idk if i'm using football lingo here but we'll stick with it for now)

aiden matches up with a guy he didn't win once against at camp but he literally told seiji his whole philosophy was not trying then so he could sneak attack and win when it actually matters. and so ofc he plays better and wins.

then harvard comes on and they sub in marcus.
they went from 7-0 to 7-10 that is crazy?? ig i literally have no basis of how a fencing scoreline could look like despite reading this for EIGHT years now. but that seems a little wild to me idk.

oh surprising nice moment between nicholas and seiji i'm so immersed in blue lock that such outwardly displays of romance is a bit overwhelming i'm ngl (not a complaint i wish kaneshiro stopped denying nagireo)

rip marcus the worst thing an author can do for a sports manga/comic is give an athlete a career-ending injury esp when he's so young

exton won 45-9??? damn i really have no idea what fencing scores can look like

nicholas getting hit with the coste family over and over again when that's LITERALLY his dad too
and oh dip he told bobby!

"if you carry us to the final do we deserve to be there?" said no football player ever but fencing is so diff bc it's 1v1

and here he goes up against kyle...

and as of today, there's 79 days until the next issue which isn't as bad as 6 months considering i read this so much later than it first came out
imo, i think they will make it to the final but it's a tossup if they'll beat jesse. if they lose, pacat has the opportunity for them to return the next year better and dominate (giving eugene as a senior his last chance too) but that'll mean aiden and harvard will graduate with nothing. but if they win, it'll be too good to be true. but hey, with fencing i'm not fa
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews

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