Title: Punch Vol 2
Author: Rie Takada
Publisher: Viz
ISBN: 9781421508753
May Contain Spoilers
Elle’s quest for a "normal" relationship isn’t going very far. Tough guy Tazuki has caught her eye, but there’s nothing he likes better than a good fight. When Ruo starts dating Kazuki’s sister in a scheme to get back at him, it looks like Elle might never obtain the kind of guy she dreams of. And later, when Kazuki is mistakenly entered into a boxing match, Elle discovers that she just may like fighting more than she thinks. Is it the curse of her family’s genes finally kicking in?
How does clumsy, ditzy Elle attract all of these cute guys? The girls at school don’t appreciate the attention she receives from Ruo and Kazuki, and soon begin to pick on her. This is another of the over used plot devices in shoujo manga, and true to form, it backfires on the nasty girls and Elle and Kazuki get a little private time alone in the nurse’s office. Too bad Elle is unconscious and can’t enjoy their alone time. She does, instead, babble in her sleep, spilling her guts to Kazuki. This is one of the things that I find the most amusing about the series: Elle often has vivid, outrageous dreams starring Kazuki and herself, where she acts out her desire to let him know how she really feels about him. Though just telling him would be the best, most direct method, that wouldn’t be nearly as funny.
Rou proves again that he’s a selfish snake, by using Kazue in a plot to get rid of Kazuki. Offering to pay for the operation that will restore her sight if Kazuki performs a sudden disappearing act, it seems to Elle that Kazuki has abandoned her just as they were finally starting to be like a real couple. A convenient message left by one of Rou’s cronies exposes the plan, and Elle is soon frantically trying to track down Kazuki and his sister.
Punch is far from original, but I’m enjoying its quirky humor. I like Elle far better than either of her suitors, which makes it hard to root for her blooming romance. Kazuki is distant and unemotional, and Rou is just a jerk that thinks he’s entitled to have his own way because of his talents. If you’re looking for a lot of depth, you’ll have to go looking elsewhere.
Grade B-
Rate for Older Teen
