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Saturday, September 29, 2012

Manga Review: Marmalade Boy, Volume 5, by Wataru Yoshizumi



Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5
Publisher: Tokyopop
Volumes: 8

Amazon (because, for some reason, the synopsis on Goodreads is in Spanish?) Synopsis:


Miki Koishikawa's ordinary life as a high school sophomore is turned upside down when her parents suddenly announce that they are getting divorced in order to swap partners with a couple they met in Hawaii. They seek her approval of the shocking change, and at a dinner where Miki meets the other couple as well as their son Yuu, who is about her age, she reluctantly agrees to the arrangement. Yuu, while at first a jerk who takes every opportunity to make fun of Miki, turns out to be fun and attractive, and Miki finds herself falling for him. Little by little, she accepts her new family arrangement, and opens up to Yuu as they become friends.


Review:

This series is great. It does several cliché things, but I don’t really mind them. Sometimes the translations are a little rough, but it doesn’t bother me too much. Because I’m enjoying the ride, the journey, that the story is taking me on, that I’m going on with these characters.
The volume starts where the last left off, with Yuu, Miwa, and Miki talking with Miwa’s dad, who is only Miwa’s dad. Who is also a bit of a womanizer, but that’s beside the point. The point is that Yuu has suspicions that he is someone else’s kid, but he is not Miwa’s fathers’. Afterward, Yuu and Miki part ways with Miwa, and the two have a talk. There’s a very cheesy moment between the two, where Miki convinces him that it doesn’t really matter, because he is a part of their family, no matter if it’s blood related or not. My biggest problem with this is that I want to know who his father is. I want him to confront his mother and find out who his real father is, if it actually isn’t Youji.
This scene is also where the two proclaim their love for each other and kiss, and end up getting sick from being out in the bad weather. In the next chapter, they each tell Ginta and Arimi, who are accepting even while a bit upset. They also go out with their parents, as it has apparently been a year since their parents married, which is insane since that was only, like, two volumes ago. Meiko agrees to go on a coffee date with Miwa, and then there is another cute moment between Miki and Yuu.
Next, we see that, perhaps, Ginta is growing some feelings about Arimi. I’m not surprised, and am looking forward to seeing what happens with him next. Later in the volume, we find out that Arimi has a fan club at her school, with several older boys falling all over her, and Ginta seems to, maybe, be getting a little jealous, but is currently denying it.
Meanwhile, Yuu gets work in a commercial from Miki’s mother, which is quite comical, but his co-worker is a pretty girl named Suzu. Miki is worried, and even when Yuu starts tutoring her and she claims to like him, he’s not bothered. She’s a middle school girl, but seems to think that Yuu and Meiko should be together. She doesn’t seem to be too forceful, but isn’t very impressed with Miki, and is sure to cause trouble later.
Then, Miki decides to get a job after her and Yuu make vacation plans together. The volume ends with her and some unknown guy startling her and the two falling on the ground together. It’s not in as precarious a position as it could be, but she drops her bracelet and, surprised, runs off, leaving him alone. This is surely going to cause problems with Yuu, and even though it’s very cliché, I am undoubtedly looking forward to reading it.
I am looking forward to the drama and sweet moments between Miki and Yuu, and seeing what happens next with Meiko and Ginta. Also, for when Miki and Yuu tell their parents about their relationship, as that hasn’t happened yet. This series is just getting better the more I read of it, and it’s a bit upsetting that I only have three volumes left, but I’m excited to read them.

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