Manga Review: Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 2, by Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arikawa

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 11+

Spoilers?: Vague.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves--the Library Forces!

When the director of the Kanto Library Base gets sick, a temporary replacement is assigned, according to regulations. But Iku and her roommate, Asako, discover a trail of missing books that lead back to the temporary director. Has he betrayed everything the Library Forces stand for and handed books over to the enemy?!

Review:

This is a pretty standard, enjoyable series. Nothing too new, very shojo, but overall rather good. I’m glad I finally picked it up, because I am really enjoying it.

The rivalry between Iku and Tezuka is still very present, only in this volume, he also decides to ask her out. Which is a complete surprise to Iku, and she doesn’t know how to handle it. Eventually they start talking, though, and seem to be making their way toward a friendship, even if they don’t realize it yet. Iku and Dojo are still off and on fighting and being sweet with each other, their attraction to each other ever growing, and everyone but themselves admitting to it.

In ways of the Library Force, though, they had a raid from the MBC (Media Betterment Committee, their enemy), and their head librarian is found to be secretly working for the other team, although they haven’t been able to find solid proof. Iku also looked into some history of how the Library Force started, and finds out some stuff about Inamine, the head of the Library Force, who’s an older guy, bidden to a wheelchair, with a very kind smile. And the Force is trying to deal with the media regarding a case that’s trying to shine a bad light on books.

That’s a rather vague look on what happened in this volume. There was some nice, interesting movement and reveals about the Force, along with nice relationship development, and a good amount of humor. I think a big reason for why this series works so well, at least thus far, is that the serious plot line is interesting, and done in a very good way, not over the top or boring, that the humor is funny, at least to me, and the characters are interesting.

Iku is a pretty standard heroine, and I like her. I like Dojo and am really liking how his and Iku’s relationship is developing, as well as her and Tezuka’s, although I am fully on Dojo’s side. The (somewhat) side characters are nice, too. Komaki is entertaining, and I generally just like watching his amusement at Iku and Dojo, and his teasing of Dojo, along with Genda. And I really like Shibazaki’s character—she’s an entertaining, straightforward, smart character, and I like her. Also, I’m fully on the side of her and Komaki being a thing, although I could see her and Tezuka as well.

I am just really liking this series. It’s fun, it’s interesting, it’s easily keeping my interest. And now I’m ready to go read the next volume.