Misaki Takamatsu

A fairly mild slice-of-life high school romance has a fish-out-of-water angle that tantalizes just enough to earn a thumbs up.

Mitsumi Iwakura has just transferred from her small town junior high to a big Tokyo high school. She has Leslie Knope energy as she plans out her successful future in government, but her hick town upbringing and taut nerves keep keep tripping her up. Her frank manner though is also earning her attention and respect, especially from that cute boy with a -- shh! -- show more secret past.

I'm definitely checking out the next volume.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Scene 1. Dun-da-DUNNN! A Sparkling-Fresh High Schooler -- Scene 2. Wooo . . . An Unsettling Karaoke Booth -- Scene 3. Uhhh . . . School Club Confession -- Scene 4. Mmm . . . A Dreamy Student Council -- Scene 5. Brzap! Electric Movie Theater -- Twinsies -- The Taste of Home -- Convenience Store Dinners -- The Digital World show less

I've been on the fence about continuing with this series, but I do believe I have finally picked a side.

This volume is set up to center on the male protagonist, Sousuke Shima. He has previously wanted to avoid acting opportunities with the school drama club because of his child-acting experience, but now he feels obliged to participate in the class play at the high school festival.

The author seems to want us to think this is a big deal, and some characters from Shima's past from outside show more school are brought in to witness this development. And it seems like something happens with that, but the storytelling is so muddled, I was left vaguely confused and very disconnected.

This meandering, low-key approach is just too much for me. I'm setting this series aside, and I doubt I'm coming back.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Scene 18. Scramble! Preparing for the Festival -- Scene 19. Plip, drip . . . A Tearstained Dance -- Scene 20. Woo-hoo! An Animated Festival, Part 1 -- Scene 21. Woo-hoo! An Animated Festival, Part 2 -- Scene 22. Woo-hoo! An Animated Festival, Part 3 -- Scene 23. Woo-hoo! An Animated Festival, Part 4 show less

The pacing is still a little too slow for me, but this volume caught me in a better mood and at least offered up some nice scenes at a zoo and a slumber party.

I liked getting to know the main character's aunt better, but I could have done without the new character from the male lead's past. The visit home was a little sleepy, but the cliffhanger (such as it is) perked me back up and made me curious to see the next volume.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents: Scene 12. The Presidential Election Shake-Up show more -- Scene 13. Popularity Before Summer Break -- Scene 14. A Blistering-Hot Zoo -- Scene 15. A Complicated Summer Break -- Scene 16. A Drowsy Homecoming -- Scene 17. A Peppy End to Summer Break -- The Beauty Parlor -- The Things That Scare Us -- Afterword -- Dogsick -- Yamada -- Mika-chan -- Mukai-kun show less

A touching and cute first volume of a school manga series. There are lots of tropes present: fish out of the water scenario, adolescent anxieties, making new friends, learning how to navigate relationships. These were all very well done, and felt very true. I cared :)

I like Mitsumi, and I am rooting for her. Sousuke’s constant niceness is very suspicious, but there are hints of a backstory that could be interesting.

The art is pretty standard, but it’s good enough and gets the job done. show more If I come across other volumes in the series, I will definitely pick them up. show less