Manga Review: Nisekoi: False Love, Volume 12, by Naoshi Komi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shonen Jump (VIZ Media)

Release Date: November 3, 2015

Volumes: 20+

Spoilers?: Not really.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 11. 13.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Chitoge thinks about finally confessing her true feelings to Raku. She tries writing letters and practicing confessions, but because she's too embarrassed, nothing she does goes well! Meanwhile, a new rival cake shop opens up next door to Onodera's sweet shop, and Raku's working there?!

Review:

This series is just fun. There’s no end in sight, surely, and none of the romances are going anywhere soon. But it’s so fun. The characters are so well-done and likeable, and the comedy is golden.

Raku actually takes a backseat a couple of times in this volume. He gets a lot of time in several of them, yeah. Like when Sugumi accidentally takes a developing drug that makes her unable to fight, or when he goes on a date with Chitoge and she freaks out over the idea of confessing her feelings to him, and when a mob guy in his family opens a confections shop across from Onodera’s. But there’s also a full chapter for Ruri and her swimming competition, when she gets hurt and realizes how important her friends are. And when Paula has to face her fears, including one of getting shots.

I mean, there are true moments where we see that Shu has been watching Ruri so closely he’s the only one who knows that she’s injured. And that Sugumi really does mean a lot to Chitoge, even more than Sugumi realized. We see how important Chitoge’s ribbon really is to her when she loses it. And Haru’s feelings for Raku start showing themselves, even if she denies it.

There’s so much happening in this series, so much subtle and not-subtle character development. I would really like a couple more guys to show up, as the guy-to-girl ratio is getting way too uneven, but otherwise, I have no faults with this series. I just love it.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!