Short Takes: Crown of Love, Itazura na Kiss, and Natsume’s Book of Friends

This month’s third and final “second takes” column focuses on three manga that have garnered good reviews here and elsewhere: Yun Kouga’s Crown of Love (VIZ), a romantic drama about teen idols; Kaoru Tada’s Itazura na Kiss (DMP), a comedy documenting a ditzy girl’s quest to bag the class genius; and Natsume’s Book of Friends (VIZ), an episodic drama about a teen with the power to control demons. Which of the three had strong second volumes, and which ones turned out to be duds? Read on for the scoop.

CROWN OF LOVE, VOL. 2

BY YUN KOUGA • VIZ • 192 pp. • RATING: OLDER TEEN (16+)

The premise: Handsome teen Hisayoshi signs away his life to become an idol after meeting the girl of his dreams. Unfortunately for him, Rima, the object of his affection, views him as a threat to her already-established career as a singer and actress and won’t give him the time of day. Eager to be near Rima regardless of how she receives him, Hisayoshi agrees to tutor her for a high school entrance exam. The catch? Rima is petulant and not very bright, making Hisayoshi’s task an uphill climb.

What I said about volume one: “Yun Kouga spins a surprisingly good yarn, filled with complex characters and emotionally resonant scenes that rise well above the usual idol-fantasy fare… Kouga employs a simple, direct style that’s reminiscent of Keiko Nishi’s; stripped clean of the fussy costumes and distracting screentone patterns that are a hallmark of the idol genre, Kouga’s artwork focuses primarily on the characters’ faces, allowing us a glimpse into their turbulent inner lives. It’s this kind of attention to emotional detail that makes Crown of Love so engaging, even when the plot capitulates to genre convention.”

How I feel about volume two: If the first volume promised a complex, thoughtful story about emotionally damaged teens finding love and professional success, the second volume proves just how hard it is to sustain a reader’s interest in a story built around unpleasant characters; selfish, self-pitying behavior grows old fast when it isn’t being played for laughs. Alas, the entire cast of Crown of Love seems to be suffering from narcissistic personality disorder, from Hisayoshi and Rima to Hisayoshi’s long-suffering pal Takezawa, who carries a very public torch for him. No one ever takes “no” for an answer, as Hisayoshi’s stalkerish behavior demonstrates; no matter how many times Rima dismisses him, Hisayoshi finds a way to insinuate himself into her affairs. Yun Kouga occasionally tries to goose the proceedings by introducing the kind of scenery-chewing supporting players that are a stock and trade of As the World Turns, but they don’t get nearly enough screen time to elevate the series’ tone from mopey self-involvement to juicy soap opera.

Review copy provided by VIZ Media, LLC.

ITAZURA NA KISS, VOL. 2

BY KAORU TADA • DMP • 308 pp. • RATING: TEEN (13+)

The premise: Sweet, ditzy Kotoko falls head-over-heels for the imperious, brilliant Naoki and confesses her love to him, only to be rebuffed in front of her entire class. Just as Kotoko resolves to wash that man right out of her hair, however, Kotoko and her dad lose their home to an earthquake and move in with… Naoki’s family. Making Kotoko’s torment even more exquisite: Naoki’s mom dreams of making Kotoko her daughter-in-law, while Naoki and his younger brother Yuuki delight in ridiculing Kotoko for her lousy grades, poor culinary skills, and utter lack of physical coordination. Can Kotoko endure her new living situation long enough to make Naoki understand how she really feels about him?

What I said about volume one: “Reading Itazura Na Kiss, it’s easy to see why the series proved so influential. [Kaoru] Tada makes opposites-attract comedy seem effortless — just throw your leads under the same roof and presto! hilarity and romance ensue. What Tada did better than many of her admirers, however, is make the comedy count for something more than just a few laughs; her characters’ pratfalls and humiliations serve as catalysts for self-reflection and growth, making it seem plausible that Naoki and Kotoko might be right for one another… some day. (I never rule out the possibility of a deus ex-mangaka bringing them together before then, however.) Highly recommended.”

How I feel about volume two: I don’t generally relish series in which the heroine makes a fool of herself in pursuit of a man — especially one as snooty and manipulative as Naoki — yet I’m head-over-heels for Itazura na Kiss and its goofy, slapstick humor. Some of Itazura‘s appeal is attributable to Kotoko herself: no matter how many times she fumbles, no matter how absurd the scenario, she always strives to maintain her composure. That she fails is part of Itazura’s charm; most of us fall off the dignity wagon when we’re enthusiastic about someone, even when we know how foolish we look.

The other key element of Itazura‘s appeal is its supporting cast. Tada surrounds her leads with a terrific ensemble that’s divided between those invested in bringing Naoki and Kotoko together and those scheming to keep them apart. Though characters like Kinnosuke and Sudou, Naoki’s tennis sempai, function mostly as comic relief, their interactions with Naoki and Kotoko also shed light on the leads’ personalities, giving us a better sense of who Naoki and Kotoko are, and how they might relate to one another if they could just set aside their publicly assigned roles of “unfeeling genius” and “dingbat-klutz.” Of course, we wouldn’t want Naoki and Kotoko to have that epiphany too soon, as watching their awkward, hilarious mating dance is a big part of the series’ fun. Highly recommended.

Review copy provided by Digital Manga Publishing. Volume two of Itazura na Kiss will be available on May 18, 2010.

NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS, VOL. 2

BY YUKI MIDORIKAWA • VIZ • 208 pp. • RATING: TEEN (13+)

The premise: After moving to his late grandmother’s home town, teenage seer Natsume makes an astonishing discovery: granny Reiko also had the ability to interact with spirits, a talent she used to trick them into adding their names to “The Book of Friends,” a list of demons duty-bound to honor her commands. Natsume soon finds himself besieged by yokai wishing to be released from Reiko’s contract or seeking the book for their own purposes. Eager to protect himself, Natsume forges an uneasy alliance with a bakeneko named Madara: Madara agrees to be Natsume’s bodyguard on the condition that the Book of Friends passes to him when Natsume dies, though Madara not-so-secretly hopes that day will be sooner rather than later.

What I said about volume one: “The premise seems played out, an impression reinforced by the exorcism-of-the-week feeling of certain chapters. As the story unfolds, however, Natsume’s Book of Friends offers some pleasant surprises. Reiko, for example, turns out to be a complicated character; her supernatural gift estranged her from humans, but gave her great power over yokai, a power that she abused by baiting and bullying them… Yuki Midorikawa’s artwork is serviceable, if a little heavy on the screentone… From time to time, however, she paints an exquisite scene: a parade of yokai silhouetted against an inky background, a young woman kneeling in prayer before a shrine. It’s these quiet, understated moments, coupled with the story’s unexpectedly thoughtful characterizations, that give Natsume’s Book of Friends a leg up on the supernaturally sighted competition.”

How I feel about volume two: Volume two confirms a feeling I had while reading volume one: Natsume’s Book of Friends is an entertaining, thoughtful collection of ghost stories that never quite rises to the level of greatness. Yuki Midorikawa has imagination to spare, putting fresh twists on familiar set-ups (haunted house, anyone?), mixing folklore with urban legend to create genuinely spooky scenarios, and using her hero’s gift to reveal his innate decency. Midorikawa’s artwork, too, shows moments of genuine inspiration, channeling the spirit of Hokusai and Utagawa in her depiction of yokai great and small. Yet for all the obvious care that’s gone into developing Natsume’s character and populating the story with cool demons, the execution is wanting: some stories are choppy, relying too much on clunky dialogue to fill the gaps between panels, while others look cramped, with characters squeezed into tiny panels that look more like holding cells than frames. I’m not ready to throw in the towel with Nastume’s Book of Friends just yet, as I find Natsume to be a smart, sympathetic hero, but I do hope the craftsmanship rises to the level of the conception in future volumes.

Review copy provided by VIZ Media, LLC.