Manga Review: Doubt!!, Volume 6, by Kaneyoshi Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5-3

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo)

Volume: 6

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ai's sometimes-rocky relationship with her boyfriend has weathered many storms. Now, in the final volume in this series, his first serious girlfriend has come back into the picture, and Ai's confidence wavers. Rated for older teens.

Review:

I… don’t know about this series. This is the final book, and it’s been a while since I read the last one. I liked Izumi’s other series, Seiho Boys’ High School, and had been a bit into that series before I started this one.

I remember Izumi saying, I think in volume 4 or 5, how she was growing old, or tired, or something along those lines, of this series. And you could tell. Which I didn’t really appreciate, because I had been enjoying it before that. This volume didn’t seem as bad, but apparently she had some problems with the series. She had to end it differently, I guess, because it was dropped and then picked up by a different magazine. I don’t mind that, but it did make me wonder what she would have done different.

In the first few chapters, Ai has some competition going with Sakurako for So. Sakurako is pretty much a conniving bitch who I did not like, but it all ends well or whatever. Then there’s another problem with Mimura, a boy we’ve met previously who I didn’t really care to remember. He drags Ai into pretending to date him, then she inadvertently accepts to go to an amusement park with him and she has a minor fight with So. And then we get to the last storyline.

We meet Sakurako’s older sister, who she hates, and who has a thing with/for So. Turns out they used to go out or something, and still have something going on, and So has a hard time resisting her at any point. Even though he’s supposed to be loyal to Ai, he skips out on her to meet Shuko. He’s kind of given an ultimatum and chooses Ai, then chooses Shuko, and after almost leaving the country with her, finally chooses Ai because of course that’s who he really wants.

I just didn’t care at that point and was rolling my eyes. Partly because I don’t think he really deserves Ai, although maybe they really do deserve each other. Ai has been in love with him since the beginning, and has gone through so much crap to keep him, and it’s all just ridiculous. What’s the point, really? She should have realized that the drama was not going to stop, as was pointed out at the end of the book, and she really shouldn't be putting up with it all. Also, when he chose Shuko, everyone seemed to be saying that she wasn't trying very hard to keep him. Um, excuse me? She's been trying to keep him this whole series. I wouldn't have blamed her, would have even liked it, if she'd decided that he just wasn't worth it. But of course not, because she loves him too much.

Although, this is one of the few series where I didn’t care for the main characters/couple. Usually, I like at least one of the two characters, if not both, and I almost always like the main couple when they're together. Being the big fan of romance that I am, I almost always love the romantic scenes. With this one, and I’m not even sure how many romantic scenes there were, I didn’t really care for any of the scenes that starred those two.

I really liked Yuichiro, and had been kind of hoping something big would happen for him, even though I didn’t know if that would work very well, depending how it was done. I didn’t mind him and Mina, but I also wouldn’t have minded him and someone else. I just liked him; he was my favorite character, and we didn’t get much at all of an ending with him. I understand why, of course, given the change in magazine and page amount she had to work with, but I still don’t really like it.

This wasn’t really a very good ending to the series for me, but I don’t really know what else I was expecting. The main character was Ai, and her love interest was obviously So, and I just didn't like them very much, especially together.

Manga Review: Seiho Boys' High School, Volume 8, by Kaneyoshi Izumi

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 8

Goodreads Synopsis:

Final Volume Is it written in the stars that girls named Erika will always break Maki's heart? With betrayal and separation ravaging his relationship, love certainly isn't easy for this Seiho boy. But as his second year of high school comes to a close, will he still somehow manage to find happiness?

Review:

I like this series; I like the almost nostalgic feel to it, the fun the boys have, especially reading about how boys act at an all boys' high school; that's just interesting to me, and fun to watch. But this volume wasn't as amazing as I'd hoped it would be. That might just be because it's been a while, several months, since I read volume 7 (not my fault, though; no store seemed to want to carry it).

In the first chapter, Miyaji puts the idea in Maki's head that maybe Erika and Kamiki are going out behind his back. The readers, though know that something is wrong with Erika, and she hasn't worked up the courage to tell Maki, whereas Kamiki has went through something similar. Maki worries and overreacts (a little), and he finds out that Erika is going to study abroad, because she doesn't want her fighting parents controlling her anymore. And while it leaves us guessing for a little bit, it only turns out that she and Kamiki were secretly talking, nothing more.

Maki and Erika break up, and Maki sulks and pretends to be glad to be rid of her and ready to move on. Before she leaves, though, they make up. Instead of getting back together, they decide to stay separate, and if they see each other again, they'll see how things go. The boys shoot off fireworks, to cheer up Maki, and as a goodbye to Erika.

In the next bit, Miyaji comes to their school to visit Kamiki. A stray dog starts following her and Maki, who then decide to take care of it. Miyaji does it to prove to Kamiki, though, that she doesn't need his help. The dog, though, is a terror and only wants to listen to Kamiki. Kamiki finds an owner for it, and makes up with Miyaji.

The final chapter closes with the boys graduating from their second year, Maki now being the Resident Advisor, and him receiving a message from an unknown number (meaning to be Erika).

This was a good ending to the series. I like that she didn't make it an overall happy ending, even while it was. She didn't go into the future and have him and Erika meet up. Instead, it's hinting that maybe they're going to start talking again. And Kamiki and Miyaji are together again, but they don't know if they'll work out, and they're okay with that. Also, I like how the boys all complain about their school, but that they're still fond of it.

At the end of the manga, there's a one-shot called Reverse Guilt. I was surprised, but I actually really liked it. It's about a girl who used to be seen as perfect, but then starts hanging out with the poor, bad boy, and so now is just seen as smart. She pretends not to like the boy, but obviously does and is jealous of his womanizing ways, and they get together by the end. It's a smutty story, which is what surprised me, and made me like it. Although, there was a part where he tied up two people, which I did not like. And I did like the underclassmen girl, she piqued my interested, and I felt a bit bad for her.

Overall, it was a good volume. And, while I am a little upset to see the series end, it was a really good ending for the series. So, I'm happy with it.