Manga Maniac Cafe For the Geek in all of us

Title:  Love Com Vol 2

Author:  Aya Nakahara

Publisher: Viz

ISBN:  9781421513447

May Contain Spoilers

Risa and Otani are back, and their relationship is just as confusing as before!  Their every meeting ends with bickering, and Risa wonders why she’s so upset when Otani’s ex-girlfriend re-enters the picture.  All of her friends have found love – will she always be stuck being the third wheel?

There were some new character introductions in this volume to keep the waters rough for Risa and Otani.  First up was Kanzaki, Otani’s ex.  Risa is very conflicted when she finds out about her, having a tough time accepting that Otani has had a girlfriend.  She’s soon consumed with curiosity. How long did they date?  Why aren’t they going out any longer?  She none too subtle, and she keeps pumping Otani for information.  When she learns that he was dumped because Kanzaki had a crush on the tallest guy in school, she wonders why the girl is back.  Reacting to some misinformation from one of her friends, she thinks that Kanzaki never mustered the courage to ask the other guy out, and she’s afraid that she wants Otani back.

Risa was so annoying during the little story thread, I’m shocked at Otani’s self restraint.  Any other guy would have killed her!  She is obsessed with getting Otani and Kanzaki back together, and she doesn’t even bother to ask him if that’s what he wants!  Yup, he has the patience of a saint.  Risa, on the other hand, doesn’t want them to get back together, either, but once she’s set on a course of action, nothing much can slow her down.  Certainly not her feelings, and most definitely not her common sense.

When one of Risa’s old classmates returns to town, it’s Otani who starts acting a little weird.  When they were in elementary school, Haruka was a mousy little boy, and everybody picked on  him.  Risa was his staunch defender.  Now that he’s older, Haruka has grown into a giant, and he’s even taller than Risa. 

His reappearance causes even more sparks to fly between Otani and Risa, and the three of them are soon irritating the hell out of each other.  Haruka declares that Risa is his hero, and he’s been waiting for the day when they could meet again. and Risa starts to question why guys don’t just like her because she’s a girl. 

The two guys really get off on the wrong foot, as Haruka insults Otani every chance he gets.  You’d think that a guy who was bullied so mercilessly would have a little more compassion,  but it seems that his experience has only made his tendencies to be cruel that much more intense.  I did enjoy the interchange between the boys,  and enjoyed the last part of the book better than the first, as the beginning was a little too repetitive.

Grade: B

Rated for 13+