dracoqueen22 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dracoqueen22) wrote2011-05-02 07:12 pm
dracoqueen22) wrote2011-05-02 07:12 pm
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Manga Review : Cool/Uncool -- Asou Kai
Good evening!
Today I bring another manga review. Cool/Uncool, also known as Kakko Warukute Kakkoii Kimi (The Uncool and Cool You), written and illustrated by Asou Kai who is one of my favorite manga-ka (the original story was done by Arika Kuga, so I can only assume it was in a novelish format and Asou Kai rewrote it into manga format?). I do love her artwork. It's always so lovely.
This particular manga is licensed in English. I got my copy from Amazon. And it's published through Digital Manga Publishing. It's 18+ mature.
Takashi and Yukihisa have been BFFs (Best Friend's Forever) since they were little boys. But nowadays, the former inseparable pair find themselves separated by a virtual one meter thick wall. That's the distance Takashi keeps putting up between Yukihisa and himself whenever Yukihisa tries to approach his friend. For Yukihisa, what's even more frustrating is Takashi refuses to tell him what he's done to deserve the cold shoulder. Plus, it seems Takashi has gotten close with Kanayama, a female classmate of theirs. Is it jealousy that Yukihisa feels whenever he spots Takashi and Kanayama whispering conspiratorially in the school hallways? -- description taken from back cover
I'm going to be honest. I'm not recc'ing this one because it's dark and angsty and realistic and all that jazz. I'm recc'ing it because it's cute and funny and I love the artwork. I will promise, though, that our male characters look like males, and there's no rape=love which is so prevalent in yaoi manga (I attribute that to the difference in culture to be honest, because while it's prevalent in manga, it's not so much in other forms of media, but we'll save that discussion for another day).
So what sets this cute and funny manga off from the hundreds of others I read and went "eh, readable but doesn't garner a reread"? The thing which is causing distance between our two lovebirds. *SPOILER* Takashi is running away from Yukihisa because he loves him, that's pretty obvious, but the reason isn't because he's afraid of Yukihisa's reaction, but because he's waiting until he gets taller. Yep. Takashi is several inches shorter than Yukihisa which upsets the romantic Takashi because it's not suitable kissing height. *cue rolling eyes laughter* . Even by the end of the manga, poor Takashi hasn't grown the necessary inches he wishes to achieve, though at that point, it doesn't matter because he gets with Yukihisa anyway. It's VERY rare to find a shorter seme in Japanese manga, so that's one of the reasons I find this manga so cute. And well, because Takashi makes such a big deal out of it and Yukihisa doesn't get why it's so important.
Yukihisa is clueless adorable and Takashi is very cute in his own right, what with his straightforward standoffishness that hides an intent to snuggle. It's quite endearing. It's also quite amusing, for the first act, to watch Takashi determinedly putting this one meter distance between himself and Yukihisa. The manga-ka points it out in hilarious ways that never failed to make me chuckle.
Style-wise, the thing I like best about Asou Kai's style is the eyes. They always seem so expressive to me. The characters' eyes are given presence, rather than treated as a necessary afterthought, if that makes sense.
Another thing that I enjoy? The main storyline takes place during their high school years, but the fourth act takes place during their college years, proving that they are still together. I like to see manga where more is shown than just how they got together while they were in school and whatnot. I like knowing that the struggles I watched managed to create something lasting. Even better, they attend separate colleges with different majors, meaning that while they are a couple, they are also individuals. I enjoy that as well.
The little bonus at the end is hilarious and adorable as well. It's more of a chibi-style, but it's definitely worth a look.
This is only a one-volume work so if you're looking for something short and sweet to read, I definitely recommend adding this to your collection.
Today I bring another manga review. Cool/Uncool, also known as Kakko Warukute Kakkoii Kimi (The Uncool and Cool You), written and illustrated by Asou Kai who is one of my favorite manga-ka (the original story was done by Arika Kuga, so I can only assume it was in a novelish format and Asou Kai rewrote it into manga format?). I do love her artwork. It's always so lovely.
This particular manga is licensed in English. I got my copy from Amazon. And it's published through Digital Manga Publishing. It's 18+ mature.
Takashi and Yukihisa have been BFFs (Best Friend's Forever) since they were little boys. But nowadays, the former inseparable pair find themselves separated by a virtual one meter thick wall. That's the distance Takashi keeps putting up between Yukihisa and himself whenever Yukihisa tries to approach his friend. For Yukihisa, what's even more frustrating is Takashi refuses to tell him what he's done to deserve the cold shoulder. Plus, it seems Takashi has gotten close with Kanayama, a female classmate of theirs. Is it jealousy that Yukihisa feels whenever he spots Takashi and Kanayama whispering conspiratorially in the school hallways? -- description taken from back cover
I'm going to be honest. I'm not recc'ing this one because it's dark and angsty and realistic and all that jazz. I'm recc'ing it because it's cute and funny and I love the artwork. I will promise, though, that our male characters look like males, and there's no rape=love which is so prevalent in yaoi manga (I attribute that to the difference in culture to be honest, because while it's prevalent in manga, it's not so much in other forms of media, but we'll save that discussion for another day).
So what sets this cute and funny manga off from the hundreds of others I read and went "eh, readable but doesn't garner a reread"? The thing which is causing distance between our two lovebirds. *SPOILER* Takashi is running away from Yukihisa because he loves him, that's pretty obvious, but the reason isn't because he's afraid of Yukihisa's reaction, but because he's waiting until he gets taller. Yep. Takashi is several inches shorter than Yukihisa which upsets the romantic Takashi because it's not suitable kissing height. *cue rolling eyes laughter* . Even by the end of the manga, poor Takashi hasn't grown the necessary inches he wishes to achieve, though at that point, it doesn't matter because he gets with Yukihisa anyway. It's VERY rare to find a shorter seme in Japanese manga, so that's one of the reasons I find this manga so cute. And well, because Takashi makes such a big deal out of it and Yukihisa doesn't get why it's so important.
Yukihisa is clueless adorable and Takashi is very cute in his own right, what with his straightforward standoffishness that hides an intent to snuggle. It's quite endearing. It's also quite amusing, for the first act, to watch Takashi determinedly putting this one meter distance between himself and Yukihisa. The manga-ka points it out in hilarious ways that never failed to make me chuckle.
Style-wise, the thing I like best about Asou Kai's style is the eyes. They always seem so expressive to me. The characters' eyes are given presence, rather than treated as a necessary afterthought, if that makes sense.
Another thing that I enjoy? The main storyline takes place during their high school years, but the fourth act takes place during their college years, proving that they are still together. I like to see manga where more is shown than just how they got together while they were in school and whatnot. I like knowing that the struggles I watched managed to create something lasting. Even better, they attend separate colleges with different majors, meaning that while they are a couple, they are also individuals. I enjoy that as well.
The little bonus at the end is hilarious and adorable as well. It's more of a chibi-style, but it's definitely worth a look.
This is only a one-volume work so if you're looking for something short and sweet to read, I definitely recommend adding this to your collection.