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Reviewed by Dan Polley Harima Kenji makes “School Rumble.” Without him, the volume would be just another ho-hum manga offering. Instead, it turns out to be worth a read. Kenji is in high school along with his crush, Tenma, and her sister, Yakumo. What isn’t spectacular in this volume is the plot, including the perpetually misunderstood love triangle that features Kenji and the two sisters. Kenji just cannot admit his love for Tenma, who seems to think he is in a relationship with her sister, Yakumo. Afraid of rejection and embarrassment, Kenji takes to the high seas as an apprentice sailor. But his maiden voyage is one that is easy to forget and he quickly rejoins where he left off. Instead, he notes that a manga competition deadline is looming just as midterm exams are about to start during school. But with his efforts to keep his manga-making prowess a secret, the reactions he receives from those at school shouldn’t be that shocking. While the plot isn’t spectacular, the character of Kenji is. He’s almost a stereotypical teenaged female in the male body: insecure, unsure and shy. Yet he also carries masculinity with him, which makes for a dynamic character in an otherwise mediocre plot. The art, most of the time, is pretty benign, but at points, there is extra work that has been crafted into pages and it shows in the gloominess. Basically, it enhances the plot to a point that makes them both seem interesting. “School Rumble” isn’t anything fancy, and it doesn’t purport to be. Yet it’s the character of Harima Kenji that brings the starlight to the title. Without him, there wouldn’t be much in the volume to write about. Comment on this review of School Rumble v7 on the Manga Life Forums. |
6 October 2009
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