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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane Haruna Aizawa thinks that school life is just like a monkey mountain--all the monkeys form cliques, get into fights, and get back together again. The school that she just transferred to is no exception. There's even a boy called Macharu Yamashita who reminds her of a baby monkey! With so much shoujo centering around high school romance, it's no surprise that so many manga creators wind up including bizarre subplots that stretch the reader's ability to suspend their disbelief. But an ordinary story with a hefty dash of charm goes a long way, and is much more likely to win me over. It's why I'm so fond of High School Debut, and why I really enjoyed this volume of Monkey High!. This is a straightforward, accessible story about the unlikely romance between Haruna, who transferred to a new school after her father was disgraced in a corruption scandal, and Masaru ("Macharu"), a boy in her new class. Haruna is smart, pretty, and cynical, while Macharu is earnest and seems a bit young for his age. Volume three starts with the requisite Valentine's Day story, with not one but two mysteries: Macharu receives an anonymous gift of chocolate, while the chocolate intended for the graduating class goes missing. Later on, Macharu realizes that the end of the school year is approaching, and that their class should make sure to create one last happy memory as a group. Akira's art doesn't break the shoujo mold, but it's very pretty, and she does a wonderful job of contrasting the emotional moments and the hectic school scenes. The characters are very open and expressive, which really appeals to me. All in all, a good read. This volume includes a page of cultural/translation notes. Review copy provided by VIZ Media. Comment on this review of Monkey High! v3 on the Manga Life Forums. |
6 October 2009 |
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