The pile of books I’d like to review is getting dangerously tall. The cats eye it warily, rightly suspicious of its structural integrity. I look at it with mounting panic, realizing that I have to actually crack into it or panic will morph into resentment.
So in an effort to break the logjam, I’ve decided to try something a little different. I’m going to look at two recently sampled manga titles specifically for whether or not they inspired me to pick up further installments.
Tramps Like Us, by Yayoi Ogawa (Tokyopop), Vol. 1
What’s it about? Tough, smart Sumire Iwaya gets hit with personal and professional disappointments in fairly short order. Her boyfriend, threatened by Sumire’s success and higher status, cheats on her. At work, she’s demoted when she decks her boss after a drunken come-on. Things pick up when she acquires a pet. The pet is actually a handsome young man, “Momo”, who’ll happily trade dignity for shelter (and proximity to beautiful Sumire).
Pros:
- It’s fun to see a female protagonist who isn’t desperate to please or conform.
- The dynamic between Sumire and Momo are a nice balance between sweet and strangely unsettling.
- I like Momo’s manipulative nature is so well-suited to the pet-owner dynamic, as is his jealousy of Sumire’s suitor.
- Sumire’s acknowledgement that the situation is bizarre actually makes it seem less so.
- I’m glad to see Ogawa focus on the quiet moments of Sumire’s life in addition to the stressful ones. It really lets the reader see what she gets out of Momo’s presence in her life.
Cons:
- I can’t really think of any, aside from the fact that nothing about the art strikes me as particularly remarkable. It’s perfectly competent, though.
Verdict:
I’ll definitely buy future volumes of this, as I’m curious about how Sumire and Momo’s relationship will evolve. I’m not going to rush out right now, or anything, but it’s a prime purchase candidate for some future Saturday at the bookstore.
The Wallflower, by Tomoko Hayakawa (Del Rey), Vol. 1
What’s it about? Four vapid, squeamish boys try to score free rent for a mansion by promising the landlady they’ll pull a Pygmalion on her spooky, reclusive niece. The quartet finds their subject truly horrifying. Sunako is completely withdrawn, revels in violent splatter films, and takes pride in her complete avoidance of anything resembling grooming. She’s as horrified of the pretty boys as they are of her, and it’s revealed that her withdrawal was the result of a handsome boy’s rejection. A battle of wits and wills ensues, as Sunako resists the boys’ makeover efforts.
Pros:
- While she clearly needs psychological help, it’s hard not to root for Sunako in her desire to be left alone.
- When the book actually indulges in a quiet moment or two, it can make some insightful observations on its characters.
- There are some nicely fanciful visuals, particularly related to the attempts to transform Sunako.
Cons:
- The four boys are fairly indistinct and rather boring. I found their delicate sensibilities more annoying than amusing.
- I found Kyohei, the only boy who stands out, profoundly obnoxious.
- The comedy is often fairly shrill.
- If I never see a projectile nosebleed again, it will be too soon.
Verdict:
I probably won’t pick up further installments of The Wallflower. It doesn’t seem entirely coherent in terms of storytelling or character development, and it doesn’t exactly work with my delicate sensibilities.