Behind the Scenes!! Vol. 5by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 8 Ranmaru finds himself not measuring up against Goda at every turn. Ruka pushes herself too hard. Maasa and Soh struggle to follow their dreams. Goda handles everything that's thrown at him and more ... but eventually runs himself into a fever, which allows Ranmaru to gain valuable insight into how Goda became so good, and an opportunity to prove himself.There's a TON going on in this volume, and it's well-balanced. Most of the main characters have their story advanced and / or we learn a bit more about them (Izumi and Toh, not as much). I enjoyed the boy band fan-project opening. There's a lot of creativity and passion in it, and it's clear the manga-ka did research on various types of hand-held fan-signs that the fans (of the band and/or its individual members) might hold. She also made up a fun curry-themed band! I love that this partially a Halloween volume, too. The costume-design side focuses mostly on Ruka, which is a pretty typical story of someone pushing themselves too hard in order to prove a point to someone they want to impress. I enjoyed seeing all the Halloween costumes and decor, including tips for making inexpensive costumes. The stalker angle that was worked in was totally random and didn't go anywhere ... except that Goda gets to be Ruka's protector in a very dashing scene. The other great thing about this arc is when Ranmaru finds freedom (from himself and his worry about what people think of him) and acceptance thanks to a wicked-cool knight costume Ruka made for him. Interestingly, Maasa's focus comes after the Halloween section, and focuses more on her struggle between wanting a boyfriend and loving her horror stuff. She finds and temporarily befriends a former banga (Visual Kei fan), who has made herself into the pretty-and-popular girl to get a boyfriend. They bond over their love of zombies, and Maasa is promised help in getting a boyfriend ... until a special zombie event comes up, and they shift gears. I loved everything about this mini-arc except the ending for Maasa. I'm glad for the other girl, that she realized she should be true to herself and her loves, but she ended up using and dumping Maasa with no compensation and no friendship. Soh struggles to connect with Izumi and be more confident. Most of this is played for some humor at her expense, but the play she gets roped into helps her face herself and her peers in a good way. For most of this volume Ranmaru is basically an extra, but an extra through whom we see many things happen. Even though I know it fits his character, I don't understand some of the anxiety and jealousy he's feeling, but it's also been eight months or so since the last volume, so I may just be out of touch. Comparing himself to Goda is both obvious and extreme, and it's hard to tell if he's doing it just because, or because he's crushing on Ruka, who is trying hard to get Goda's attention. Goda continues to amaze in most things. I like that he's awkward at expressing what he means when talking with people, especially Ruka (and I like that Izumi understands him, tries to offer advice, and that Goda doesn't understand why advice is needed). It makes for some subtle humor, as well as makes certain relationships hard to read beyond the surface. The reveal at the end of how Goda became so good is perfectly fitting. While it's showing that he has put in the time and effort, there is also something to him -- his inner drive, his competency, his ability to see things from multiple angles, etc. -- such as that not just anyone could do what he does, and certainly not as well as he does it. But this insight gives Ranmaru a path forward. At the same time, I love that Ranmaru finds his own interpretation of things, using his natural talent to save the day, and that he still has a desire to learn more. They are similar in many ways, with confidence being the main differences ... but I wonder now about Goda's past self, and if they aren't more alike than we see. This volume is quite enjoyable. However, despite the focus on character building and some potentially minor plot movement, this story doesn't really go anywhere. Neither did the previous volume, which leaves me wondering what the point is, though I still see enough potential to keep me curious. Written: April 12, 2018
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