Itazura Na Kiss volume 1
Stroy and Art: Kaoru Tada
Rating: Teen
When Kotoko Aihara develops a crush on the handsome genius Naoki Irie, she is crushed when he does not return her feelings; rather he refuses her love letter retorting that he doesn’t like “stupid women”. In most real life scenarios that would most likely mean the end of it. However, this being a manga, a shojo on at that, this is merely the beginning for the two polar opposites.
To complicate things further, Kotoko is actually living out of Naoki’s house, her own being destroyed by an earthquake. When her letter is turned down, she finds herself in the most awkward of situations. As the two are forced to spend more time together, their relationship develops with Kotoko continuing to pine after Naoki who considers her presence as bearable.
Itazura na Kiss is a classic example of the shojo manga formula. Two characters who have nothing in common are forced to live with one another which will likely result in a growing relationship. The difference is, every other shojo manga that follows this formula was most likely influenced by Itazura na Kiss. Having originally been published from 1991-1999, this series has preceded most of the others that have reached the US before it, only just now reaching stateside.
This is unfortunate as those who don’t understand its history or significance will most likely think of it as copy cat of other more well known shojo titles. If given the chance, readers are likely to find themselves falling in love with the heartwarming story and romantic comedy. While the art appears to be a bit dated, that’s to be expected considering the series’ age.
The characters themselves are the real draw here as the two play off each other quite well. Kotoko’s clumsy nature presents the perfect foil to Naoki’s calm and refined manner. The story itself has a nice flow to it, making this a simple yet affecting read.
Itazura Na Kiss volume 1 - B
No comments:
Post a Comment