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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane Love*Com is almost entirely built on the premise of "wouldn't it be funny if the tallest girl and the shortest boy in class were a couple?" For Risa Koizumi and Atsushi Ôtani, that's been the story of their high school lives: what began as their classmates treating them as a snarky comedy duo/prospective couple slowly changed from an annoyance to a reluctant friendship to the beginnings of actual interest in each other. Both characters are deeply sensitive about their heights, although they try not to let it interfere with their lives (Ôtani, who's an excellent basketball player in spite of his height, is rather a lot better at this than Risa, whose belief that she's awkward tends to make her act accordingly). These two volumes are the beginning of a new phase for Risa and Ôtani, who have finally started an official romantic relationship and now get to have the dubious fun of figuring out how to behave together--not the easiest task for two emotionally oblivious people who started out bickering all the time. We get most of this from Risa's point of view, as she tries to figure out just how she wants Ôtani to treat her. Lovey-dovey isn't either of their styles, but that's the example all of their happily paired-off friends are setting (and are perfectly willing to enforce. No one can accuse the supporting cast of minding their own business, but if they did, our heroes would never get anywhere). There are other challenges ahead, too: potential romantic rivals don't disappear entirely just because two people have established a relationship, and on top of that, the last year of high school may not be the best time to pair off if you've never even discussed your plans for the future. I wasn't familiar with Love*Com before, but was able to go back and read the series from the beginning, and I'm pleasantly surprised by what a fun read it is--from the premise, I wasn't at all sure I'd enjoy it. The plot isn't the most original, but the characters are endearing and the dialogue is snappy. Thumbs up! Review copies provided by VIZ Media. Comment on this review of Love*Com v9-10 on the Manga Life Forums. |
6 October 2009
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