Manga Review: Nisekoi: False Love, Volume 1, by Naoshi Komi

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: January 7th, 2014

Volumes: 10+

Spoilers?: Not more than the synopsis.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Powells. RightStuf!

Wishlist Thursday.

Next Volume. 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Love triangle! Comedic antics!! Gang warfare?! You won’t want to miss out on Weekly Shonen Jump's laugh-out-loud feel-good manga series!

It’s hate at first sight... Rather, a knee-to-the-head at first sight when Raku Ichijo meets Chitoge Kirisaki! Unfortunately, Raku’s gangster father arranges a false love match with their rival’s daughter—who just so happens to be Chitoge! However, Raku’s searching for his childhood sweetheart from ten years ago, with a pendant around his neck as a memento, but he can't even remember her name or face!

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen audiences.

Review:

This is not the type of manga that I usually pick up, as I tend toward shojo manga, but it is the type of anime that I’ll watch (mostly influenced by my brother, who watches a majority of harem anime). But it looked good, it was on my list, and so I went ahead and requested it.

Ichijo is the main character. He’s a pretty average guy, trying not to get too much attention aside from from the girl he likes, Onodera. But then there’s the fact that his family is part of the yakuza, and he’s a very non-violent person, which conflicts. But then Kirisaki moves to town, a girl who he immediately doesn’t get along with after she falls on him, but who he then has to pretend to date so their competing yakuza clans will calm down. Not to mention the fact that Ichijo made a promise with this girl he can’t remember when he was little, involving joining lock and key necklaces, and he might know who that girl is…

I like Ichijo. He’s an average, nice guy. I like both of the girls, too, and don’t really know who he’s going to end up with, or all that much about what’s going to happen next. I hope that the pretend dating doesn’t go on too long, because they’re rather horrible at it and because I want something to happen with Onodera. She’s a sweet, nice, shy girl, and I want her to have a happy ending. Kirisaki is violet and loud, but nice, as well. I don't feel as strongly about her as I do about Onodera, but I could easily grow to like her more. I know there’s still a lot to go, and I’m sure there will be a lot of hectic chapters of humorous chaos, though.

I look forward to reading more.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, and Erik Jansen from MediaLab PR. Thank you so, so much!