Yoko Nogiri

This is one of the most wonderful finds I’ve made in some time in Manga. Love in Focus, The Complete Collection in paperback contains all three entries in the warm, sweet and wonderful slice of life high school romance. Yoko Nigiri has done a marvelous job of creating a low-key and gentle romance that is both tender and sweet. There’s nothing crass here, nor is there anything cheesy. The characters are more than just likable; they are in fact endearing.

The artwork in Love in Focus is show more lush and beautiful, matching the slowly unfolding story of sweet Mako, her childhood friend Kei-Chan, and the quiet and soft-spoken Amemura-Kun. Her love of taking pictures and the photo club throw them all three together. Unbeknownst to Mako, her childhood friend Kei-Chan “likes” her in the Japanese way (as in Love) but he hasn’t told her. But ever slowly something blossoms between her and Amemura-Kun. Her brash propensity for taking pictures and her sweetness begin making inroads in his defenses. In turn, his kind words help Mako see valuable qualities in herself that no one has ever noticed.

Even when Kei-Chan confesses his feelings, and there is a trial run of sorts for he and Mako as a couple, it is all handled deftly and without dramatics. There are no bad guys here in Love and Focus, no histrionics or big dramas, just a wonderfully sweet girl and two decent but very different guys who happen to be friends. There is even a noble gesture by one of the friends when he realizes what Mako has decided. There is a backstory as well which I won’t get into, nor will I give particulars so as not to ruin anything. In Yoko Nogiri’s hands Love in Focus comes off quietly and gently, but with a resonance that defies the lightness of it.

The other supporting characters in the club are very nice as well, including the club’s resident dog Omochi, who is always around. Love in Focus is about the important things, which are the little things; like someone noticing how wonderful we are, and treating us that way. Even near the end, when Mako realizes who she loves and wants to be with, because he makes her feel special and good about herself, she realizes that he’s never used her name — almost as though he doesn’t know it. But that’s because he is seeing HER, who she is and what she is, how special she is — the important stuff. Although it’s a gentle slice of life, anyone who reads this will take away lessons about those important things which make us care about another, until they’re in our hearts and never leave.

While the ending would seem bittersweet — someone has to lose out on love — it is only mildly so because of the mature way the story-line is handled. Yoko Nogiri had a vision for this story and remained laser focused on keeping Love in Focus gentle and sweet. With all the awful stuff out there in today’s Manga, this was incredibly refreshing. Gorgeously drawn and wonderful to read, I give this one a rousing recommendation. show less

Welcome to volume 2 of That Wolf-Boy is Mine, a series which is both guaranteed to make me go d'awww and GDI DON'T DO THAT, usually on the same page.

Soo I'm very much in the Rin Fushimi camp. He's about tsun-tsun (tsundere) as they come, which is basically my type in manga. That said, I can already tell this series (unlike Peach Girl, which everyone should read) will not end with the second male love interest winning.

As a side note: why do manga, anime and Asian dramas make their secondary show more love interest so much more interesting than their primary? I feel it's less common in western media - or rather, it feels different. I don't know, maybe I'll explore this further later.

Back on track - so we meet the sensei (he's the three legged crow sent by Amaterasu in folk tales), who's...yeah I'd liken him to Shigure from Fruits Basket, less pervy tho. He's definitely wheeling and dealing and spinning agendas like tops.

We get a bit about Komugi's family...maybe. I'm hoping it's explored further in the next volume.

Ogami-kun is, GDI, such a foolhardy person/wolf. After his rejection at the end of volume 1 (which gets rehashed a lot here as Komugi tries to reconcile her feelings with her wants) he basically acts the opposite of helpful. All culminating in a scene that really illustrates how out of it he is.

Fushimi-kun, who again I am on his side, plays reluctant confidante to Komugi while Aoshi pulls tricks for his amusement and Senri tries to convince them to leave him alone so he can curl up by the heater.

So I'm hooked. Completely. I started this series cause spiritual successor to Fruits Basket hell yeah, but I'm genuinely interested in the deeper mythology being woven in now. show less

Apparently this series wraps up in the next volume, which...I really like Fushimi? I liked that he and Komugi built a friendship that was based on learning to understand how the other one is. I don't know if I'd like to see them together, but I'm a little bit eh about the predictable turn (since Ogami is obviously the male main here).

Also Yata-sensei is hella creepy. He's a bit like if Shigure and Akito (from Fruits Basket) had a kid who inherited Hatori's powers. I love him, but he's hella show more creepy. I didn't see the ending coming, though I really do understand his motivation.

So I guess we will see how this ends. Based on some spoiler comments I saw on the final volume when it was released in Japan it looks like things get a bit rushed feeling. Its honestly been so long since I've read a series that ended before at least volume 5 that I'm curious to see if I still enjoy it as much on a re-read later this year. show less

Well, this is certainly the most polite resolution to a love triangle I have ever seen.