Manga Review: Classmates: Sotsu Gyo Sei, Volume 2, by Asumiko Nakamura

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: August 2019

Volumes: 3+?

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

SHELTER FROM THE COLD

Though Rihito’s always been a loner, lately he’s grown close to his classmate, Hikaru. The two of them have even fallen in love and tentatively started dating. But when Rihito’s mother ends up in the hospital, the stress of it all becomes too much for him. Hikaru wants to be there for Rihito, but can Rihito learn to open his heart and rely on another person?

Review:

At first glance, this seems like just a pretty, school boy, yaoi series. But there's so much maturity wrapped in this series.

Rihito and Hikaru are still getting used to being in a relationship, hiding it and growing comfortable around each other. And during this, there's still the teacher clinging to Rihito. Honestly, that's the only skeevy part of this series, how the teacher is clearly into Rihito, and that Rihito doesn't seem to realize fully. At least the teacher knows he shouldn't do anything and holds back, at least for the most part.

Rihito is shy and embarrassed easily, which holds Hikaru back a bit, I think. Near the end of the volume, it seems Rihito might be opening himself up to Hikaru a bit more, though, which is good.

There's one moment in this volume that really hit me. At one point, Rihito acknowledges that he and Hikaru are each others, but also they're still their own people. While they give each other pieces, they shouldn't give every piece of themselves away. This surprised me and was done in a really sweet way that hit me, and I just really appreciated the acknowledgment of it.

I've become quite a fan of this series at this point. I really appreciate what it's doing, and the artwork is so pretty. I can't wait to read the next one.

Manga Review: Sweet Blue Flowers, Volume 2, by Takako Shimura

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: VIZ Signature (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2017

Volumes: 4 (Omnibus).

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A genre-defining saga of love and friendship between girls.

Akira Okudaira is starting high school and is ready for exciting new experiences. And on the first day of school, she runs into her best friend from kindergarten at the train station! Now Akira and Fumi have the chance to rekindle their friendship, but life has gotten a lot more complicated since they were kids…

Kyoko’s fiancé invites a group of her friends to join them at his family’s summer home. But the trip ends up including more than just ghost stories and horseback riding—Fumi can now confirm that she has feelings for Akira. And Akira learns more than she wants to about Kyoko’s private life with some accidental eavesdropping. After this, how can the girls just return to school like nothing’s happened?

Review:

The first half of this volume seemed rather slow-paced. We get to know the characters a bit more, including two of the boys, but also the group of girls and their friendships. They're on a trip, so they play some games and stay up late talking, before school starts again.

We get some hints regarding Kyoko and her family, which could turn into drama later. We also see Sugimoto for a brief period; there's some drama there, some hard feelings, but mostly it seems like a farewell.

In the second half of the volume, a new school year has started, and a new school play has been chosen and so has the cast. There are new members now in both schools; there's quiet, library club member Ueda, who's sweet and shy. Then there's Ono, a younger, tiny girl, who's blunt and honest and straightforward in her wants.

Ono has me intrigued, and I think she's a character that both Akira and Fumi need to meet, to give them some perspective. At the same time, there are some confessions. Fumi is honest with Akira, but possibly more than she meant to be, or more than Akira knows how to take. It's made things a little awkward, though this could be good or bad for them.

I like how sweet and subtle this series is. It's rather realistic in how it handles its issues, without being dramatic or exaggerated. The girls discuss these topics sometimes, and they have to consider how to respond to these situations, but also how to talk about them.

This is a rather short series, and I'm looking forward to reading more and following it to the end.

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

Manga Review: Kiss Him, Not Me!, Volume 2, by Junko

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: December 2015

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: Light.

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

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Hi there! It's Kae again.
When I go to school every day, it feels like I’m walking into a real life dating game. Four of the hottest guys in my school are with me everywhere I go!

The school festival is coming up and I’ve been put in charge of making the boys outfits for a cosplay café. Do you know what this means? That’s right, I get to see them all in costume! I have lived for this day, and this day alone. I’m brimming with excitement to go full-throttle fujoshi on those boys! But wait! Last night before the festival, Igarashi-kun was acting kind of weird, wasn’t he?

And now, it’s the day of the event and crazy things keep happening to me with these four beautiful boys! My heart won’t stop pounding! This is way too real for me. I want to go back to my fantasies!!

Review:

I’m surprised by how much I’m loving this series so far.

The school is having a festival this volume, with cafes and plays and haunted houses, including the boys cosplaying which makes Kae’s inner fangirl swoon. The boys are getting fed up with sharing her, though, and acting like they’re all best friends, so they make a schedule for each boy to take turns with her.

This starts out all right, but gets more and more overwhelming for Kae, having so many boys focusing solely on her for a period of time. And when the boys start fighting, she freaks out. Igarashi really impresses me here, honestly, the way he stop and tells her they’ll go slow. It’s incredibly romantic and sweet and I love him for it.

The last chapter is Christmas, but instead of celebrating that, Kae has plans for Comiket. The boys unknowingly decide to join her on that, wanting to spend time with her, without really knowing what comiket is or what they’ll be doing for it. It’s sweet seeing how devoted they are to spend time with her and make her happy, when they even have to split up and buy her yaoi books to save time. It’s hilarious and quite adorable. 

I can’t wait for the next volume.

Manga Review: A Silent Voice, Volume 4, by Yoshitoki Oima

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Release Date: November 2015

Volumes: 7.

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 1. 3. 5.

Goodreads Synopsis:

WORDS OF REASSURANCE

Once upon a time, Shoya was terribly cruel to Shoko, his elementary school classmate who couldn’t hear. To make up for his past sins, Shoya has devoted himself to repaying the debt of happiness he owes. So when Shoko faces a romantic setback, Shoya assembles some familiar faces from their past for a trip to the amusement park that may just change things for Shoya, too.

Review:

Shoya is starting to learn that not everyone is horrible, and he could actually make friends. He attempts it in this volume by going to an amusement park with a group, and it starts out really great. Ends in a bit of a mess, though.

Naoka and Shoko can’t seem to get along, and Naoka won’t leave Shoya alone. Naoka is generally just a terrible person, though. I don’t like her at all.

On the other hand, Shoya is trying to be a better person and make friends with people. He takes advice to compliment Shoko, because he wants her to like herself, which is kind of adorably hilarious. And then, when Yuzu and Shoko go through a bad family death, the group does the same for Yuzu. It’s sweet.

I just absolutely love this series. It’s heartwarming and realistic and terrible at times, and all of it is fantastically done. I can’t wait for the next one.

Manga Review: My Neighbor Seki, Volume 3, by Takuma Morishige

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Vertical Comics

Release Date: July 2015

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: Yes.

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

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A Quiet Storm

After putting up with so many distractions from her classroom neighbor Seki, Rumi Yokoi quietly begins to assert her will on a number of Seki's games.

Review:

This series is so fun.

Seki is, of course, continuing his game antics in class. He creates more in-depth war games with chess pieces, tries palm-reading, goes fossil and gold hunting in his desk. He tries driving a car on his desk, even making detailed licenses; has a tea ceremony; makes a soundtrack to a book he made. We see the robot family that Yokoi is protective of.

Now more people are getting dragged into it. One of their classmates still thinks him and Yokoi are in a serious relationship. Then a classmate inadvertently barges in and ruins something Seki had made. They get in trouble by the teacher.

They’re doing more things outside class, too. They have a fight in the snow, where Yokoi protects a bunny Seki made. And Yokoi meets Seki’s little sister, who wants his attention. His little sister is going to turn out just like him, too, clearly.

This is a very light-hearted, episodic school-life comedy. It’s fun to read, and I enjoy finding out what Seki is coming up with in each episode. The amount of work he puts in his classroom shenanigans are impressive.

Manga Review: Horimiya, Volume 1, by Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: October 27, 2015

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: No.

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

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The springtime of youth bubbles over!!
At first glance, the ultra-popular Hori-san seems like a frivolous high school girl, but in reality, she's plain, pragmatic, and family-oriented. On the other hand, the bespectacled Miyamura-kun comes across as an average, gloomy high school fanboy, but he's actually an attractive young man who has a bad-boy streak and is covered in piercings and tattoos. When these two unexpectedly similar classmates have a random run-in outside of the classroom, a bubbly, sweet tale of school life begins!

Review:

I almost didn’t even pick this book up, but now I’m so glad I did. So unbelievably glad.

Hori is a popular girl at school, very stylish and nice. But when she’s at home, all she cares about is taking care of her little brother while her mother is away at work; she cooks and cleans, and doesn’t care about her looks. Miyamura, while at school, looks like an otaku loner, with long hair and a blank face. Outside of school, though, he has multiple piercings and tattoos and is a total sweetheart who wants friends. They’ve never really talked before, but when Miyamura ends up helping Hori’s little brother, they grow close.

Hori is kind of a motherly type around her brother, worrying about sales and making him food. But when at school, she works at keeping her image. When Miyamura sees her, she freaks out. Miyramura, though, is a total sweetheart, worried about getting in trouble at school for his piercings and tattoos. I love him.

Hori’s little brother is a cutie, too, and he instantly likes Miyamura. Aside form him, Hori has a girl friend at school, who doesn’t know anything about her home life. Then Miyamura makes friends with Ishikawa, a guy who has a crush on Hori. It’s surprising how open Miyamura is once he makes friends, and it’s nice to see it happen.

Even though most of this volume was about the friendships developing, there’s a clear romance forming between Hori and Miyamura, and they’re perfect together. This is only the first volume, and I’m already fangirling over it.

I can’t wait for the next volume.