Itazura Na Kiss volume 2
Story and Art: Kaoru Tada
Rating: Teen
The theme of an odd couple sharing little to know traits and overcoming their dislike for one another has become a common archetype of shojo manga; so much so that unless a new ingredient is added to the formula, the series is dubbed uncreative and unworthy of most people’s time. Itazura Na Kiss sets itself apart from these other series by having the distinction of being among the first to apply the oft practiced plot devise. As such, considering its age, the series deserves manga fans attention.
Jumping into volume 2, Kotoko and her father are still living with Naoki and his family. During this time, Naoki’s mother continues to try to get the two to hook up, doing everything in her power to play matchmaker. Of course, Naoki continues with his “holier than thou” attitude, being unnecessarily rude to Kotoko.
While Naoki has a genius level intellect with an IQ of 200, he is constantly sullen and just a miserable excuse for a human being. Even though Kotoko attends the same college as him, he can’t help but look down on her every chance he gets. One has to wonder why he would go so far out of his way to display his distaste for a girl who does nothing but fawn over him.
Never the less, the book continues to pour on the charm in the energetic Kotoko, who continues to be the stand out character of the series. Between her and Naoki’s mother, the two more than make up for his overly angst attitude.
While the series definitely has its flaws, that can be attributed to its age more than anything else. Itazura Na Kiss continues to be a superb read and should be included in every shojo fan’s collection.
Itazura Na Kiss volume 2 - B+
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