Rumor is it that Youko Furi is a delinquent. Shoplifting, fighting, prostitution, you name it, little birdies claim she’s done it, and Namito Taira is horrified to sit beside her in class. Just the glances she sends his way send shivers up his spine. But, unbeknownst to him, those glances are because she’s crushing on him.
The Crush:
Furi likes Taira from the onset. She looks at him and thinks he has a cute face, which is probably the most realistic depiction of a high school crush I’ve seen in manga. That’s more or less how my high school crushes started. No excuses with “Oh, he’s so nice.” She sees him, she digs him. What more do you need to take interest in a person? Their interactions are cuter than Taira’s face. Despite Furi’s reputation and appearance, she’s absolutely smitten with Taira and will do anything if it makes him even a little bit happy or gives them five minutes together. She’s not that great at projecting her emotions, so Taira much of the time mistakes her elation for anger, and while these common misunderstandings aren’t haha hilarious, they are amusing swings in a scene’s momentum.
The Rough Storyboarding:
Storyboarding’s a mixed bag. For the most part, it communicates what it needs to do effectively, but there are times when it doesn’t fully show a particular subject but should. For example, if Taira and Furi are out walking and come across a giraffe in the street, Taira will point it out in a speech bubble, and all we’ll see of the runaway zoo animal is its head and maybe a streetlamp. The paneling is too stubborn to anything but in its regular three- or four-panel tall stacks. Another issue is that while chapters generally have a theme, scenes begin and end with no obvious signal, so you’ll be halfway in the next page before realizing this new interaction is occurring at a different place and time.
The Tyke:
This is largely insignificant from the manga as a whole, but Furi has a toddler brother, and he’s probably the most accurate depiction of a child in any medium. He talks in simple sentences and is simpleminded in what he wants. When I see him, it feels like I’m looking at an actual child and not a midget twenty-year-old claiming to be four.
The Verdict:
The presentation’s a bit rough around the edges, and I feel like it’s lacking a certain spark to take it from good to great, but all in all, this manga’s a cute, wholesome read. Looking forward to seeing how Taira and Furi’s relationship progresses.
CCC Yabbering 