Manga Review: Missions of Love, Volume 16, by Ema Toyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: December 2018

Volumes: 19.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 15. 17.

Goodreads Synopsis:

UNPREDICTABLE Yukina and Shigure are now finally on the same page when it comes to their feelings, but their first foray into true love is no easy feat! What adventures await them in their new relationship? Meanwhile, Hisame has had a crush on Mami for a long time, but when he works up the courage to confess to her, neither of them are prepared for what happens!

Review:

Just as I'm starting to fall out with this series, they throw in even more drama with Hisame, my least favorite character.

Yukina's secret is discovered, and this is apparently cause for Hisame to blackmail her. I have lots of issues with this. For one, this series does not need more drama or dark plots. For another, why is this such a huge deal? I don't see why Yukina can't just be honest about it. I understand maybe Shigure will be upset—but also, didn't the series start with her openly using him? So how is this surprising?

Before all of that, Yukina was finally going forward with Shigure. Even meeting his parents, and confronting them about how they treat their sons. I would have enjoyed this more, if it hadn't been quite so cheesy.

I think with the long time between the release dates, it has given me too much distance from the series. When you get such a long break, you come back and only see flaws, sometimes. And I'm having a very hard time dealing with the unnecessary drama of this series at this point.

Knowing that this series is ending soon, though, I might just binge the last few volumes when they're all out.

Manga Review: Missions of Love, Volume 15, by Ema Toyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: October 2017

Volumes: 19.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 14. 16.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The delightfully risque high-school rom-com continues!
-Can a typical school romance about a mismatched boy and girl turn out to be insanely good? It can if it's Missions of Love.- - Anime News Network
-Leaves me thinking 'I'd like to read more of that, please'.- - Johanna Draper Carlson, Manga Worth Reading

Review:

My main part of this series now involves only Mami and Akira, and we do get some of that in this volume. There's some sweetness between them, but Akira is also there for Mami when she decides to confront her mother. It's not a very good meeting, but I suppose it is some kind of closure for Mami. She needed to know, at least.

Aside from that, Yukina pretends to be a boy to see Hisame, with more weird moments between them. There's a confrontation between Yukina and Shigure, and then Hisame makes a confession.

I really don't like any of this drama with Hisame, honestly. He and Yukina could have a good, understanding friends relationship, because they do seem to get each other, but I don't think that's going to happen.

This was okay. I would just like one of these plots to be resolved without adding even more to it.

Manga Review: Pixie Pop: Gokkun Pucho, Volume 3, by Ema Toyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~2.5-3

Publisher: Tokyopop

Release Date: 2007

Volumes: 3.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble.

Volume: 1. 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

For Mayu, things are getting a Little fruity! Pineapple Juice turns her into an arrow-toting Cupid, and melon makes her the most sought after Girl in School! But she's still not happy! When a serious new love rival enters the picture, Mayu will have to choose between the perfect man and her long-time crush... who's leaving for America!

The juicy conclusion to Pixie Pop will be sure to leave you thirsty for more!

Review:

This is clearly an early series by Toyama, because her newer stuff is done so much better.

Firstly, the drama is okay. I don’t mind all the competing and rivals showing up. I didn’t particularly care for any of them, but that was okay.

My biggest problem was the romance. It’s given so much attention, and yet feels so underdeveloped. I didn’t feel the chemistry or attraction between any of the characters. I didn’t see why she was in love with him this entire time. And in the end, I really didn’t believe that he was returning her feelings. There wasn’t enough time given to develop their mutual romantic feelings, and so having the series end with a wedding just annoys me. It’s such a cliché for no reason.

That part does really annoy me, but I didn’t hate this series. It was okay—the friendships weren’t bad, the idea was okay, the art wasn’t bad. I’m just not impressed with it.

Manga Review: Missions of Love, Volume 14, by Ema Toyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: April 2017

Volumes: 19.

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 1. 13. 15.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The delightfully risque high-school rom-com continues!
"Can a typical school romance about a mismatched boy and girl turn out to be insanely good? It can if it's Missions of Love." - Anime News Network
"Leaves me thinking 'I'd like to read more of that, please'." - Johanna Draper Carlson, Manga Worth Reading"

Review:

Shigure gets confronted by Hisame and Yukina in this volume. Hisame gets to see what his actions have actually done to Mami, how he has so clearly not shown her his true feelings.

There's a lot between Shigure and Yukina in this volume. Shigure wants to show Yukina how he feels and show her that she feels the same, since she's so conflicted. Just bleh, honestly. I'm sick of them.

Mami is trying to show Akira her true feelings, without being obvious about it. Sadly, it's not really working, at all. Akira is even more oblivious than anyone else, honestly. There is one scene during their “date”, though, that I absolutely loved.

I do think that Hisame and Yukina understand each other in a way that no one else really does, and I like their friendship. As long as it only stays as that.

I'm getting a little tired of the back-and-forth drama regarding Yukina, how she just cannot seem to figure out what she wants and then actually do something about it. She needs to figure her shit out, honestly.

This series must not be doing that well, given how slow the releases are. And I will be reading the next one, of course.

Manga Review: Missions of Love, Volume 13, by Ema Toyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: October 2016

Volumes: 19.

Spoilers?: Some.

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

Volume: 1. 12. 14

Goodreads Synopsis:

The delightfully risqué high-school rom-com continues! "Can a typical school romance about a mismatched boy and girl turn out to be insanely good? It can if it’s Missions of Love." – Anime News Network "Leaves me thinking ‘I’d like to read more of that, please’." – Johanna Draper Carlson, Manga Worth Reading

Review:

For some reason, they're really trying to make us like Hisame. And, honestly, it's not working. Maybe he has his nice moments, and his reasons for his actions are because he really likes Mami—but it's all crap. He's still rather awful.

There's now two triangles happening, and I'm getting rather sick of it. Both girls are getting mixed up between the same three guys. It's ridiculous. Yukina starts some kind of understanding with Hisame, and she's supposed to be going out with Akira, but now she's wondering if she even has a heart. Shigure tries talking sense to her, but Hisame is only getting her more confused.

Mami, on the other hand, is still being pressured by Hisame, and pretty much ignored by Akira. Akira is too caught up in Yukina. Shigure is trying to work, but getting distracted by Yukina. Hisame is, in a way, also clinging to Yukina, when Mami pushes him away.

It's a mess. And normally I would be enjoying it more. But right now, I would like some semblance of a good decision being made.

These releases are still way too far apart, sadly.

Manga Review: Missions of Love, Volume 12, by Ema Toyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: April 2016

Volumes: 19.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 11. 13.

Add on Goodreads 

RightStuf Synopsis:

When Yukina goes to Shigure’s house to apologize, her attempts are thwarted by the appearance of Shigure’s brother Hisame! This twisted sibling will do anything to discredit his brother and torment his beloved Mami, but what is he plotting this time? Meanwhile, Yukina and Akira are technically still a couple…
Includes special extras after the story!

Review:

We really get to see what Hisame, Shigure’s brother, is up to. And he’s really quite an asshole. He’s a jerk to Mami, ever since childhood he’s tormented her. He does it in some twisted form of affection, but it’s really not working in his favor.

I really just want Akira to jump in, but I’m strongly rooting for him and Mami, so I’m biased. Plus, I like how her feelings for him are growing, even if he’s too distracted by Yukine to notice.

Surprisingly, Yukine finds Hisame’s feelings more interesting and warranting studying, instead of being afraid or worried when he tries to force himself on her. It makes sense, though, and gives her more insight for her novels.

Her decision regarding Akira still bothers me, though, and I just want Akira to realize what’s happening and do something about it. I’m impressed with Mami here, though.

I want more. I just eat up these books, and these slow releases suck.

Manga Review: Missions of Love, Volume 11, by Ema Toyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: October 2015

Volumes: 19.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 10. 12.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cell phone novelist Yukina Himuro has decided that, in order to satisfy her fans' demand for love stories, she must experience romance firsthand. But with her icy reputation, how can she find someone willing to play the part of boyfriend? By blackmailing the most popular boy in school, of course!

Review:

The release of this series has slowed down immensely, and I’m not sure why. It sucks, mostly, because I want more.

The cliffhanger from the last volume introduces a new character, Shigure’s brother, who clearly tormented Mami in the past. But that all falls on the backburner for the majority of this volume, as Yukina is forced to choose between Shigure and Akira.

And, frustrating enough, she chooses wrong. Her impulsive action proves wrong when she has a hard time continuing her cell phone story, and can’t keep Shigure off her mind. But she doesn’t know how to take it back, and she doesn’t want to hurt or lose Akira, even if she only sees him as a brother.

Even if I’m frustrated with Yukina’s decision, and I feel so bad for Akira (and Mami, since I like her with Akira), I do enjoy the depth to her story we see. Yukina can’t figure out what to do with Shigure’s character, and thus immerses herself in his head. This shows her Shigure in a new light, and that makes it even harder to stay with Akira.

At the end of the volume, we got to see how Yukina’s parents met, and what Akira’s father had to do with it. It was adorable.

I miss this series, and I am not looking forward to the wait for the next one.

Manga Review: Manga Dogs, Volume 3, by Ema Toyama

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: February 17, 2015

Volumes: 3

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

END OF THE LINE Teenage manga artist Kanna Tezuka's series about a high school for Buddhist statues is facing cancelation! Meanwhile, the manga course that's given her so much free time to draw at school is under threat from a principal taken with the next big thing: light novels! Their teacher's solution to this existential crisis is an inspiring field trip, but will it be enough to get these dogs to start drawing at last?!  A sharp-witted satire of the manga world from the creator of I Am Here! and Missions of Love!

Review:

I will admit to being a little disappointed about the lack of romance in this series. I wanted more, but I’m not surprised. There were possibilities, but no real hints.

This is mostly comedy, and it’s good comedy. The group deal with possible cancelation of both Kanna’s manga and their class, they have a contest, they have a school festival, they help a potential student (badly), the boys try to motivate Kanna. A lot of hilarity, with the boys being absolutely useless, pretty much.

There wasn’t really an ongoing plot line here for there to be a conclusion, but I think it ends pretty well nonetheless. The artwork is gorgeous, of course. The characters are hilarious, and I did enjoy all of them. And really, you’re reading this for the comedy, the parody of being a mangaka (or trying to), because that’s what this is about, and it’s done really well.

Overall a very enjoyable series by Toyama. I hope more of her series are picked up, and continue to enjoy Missions of Love.