Komi Can't Communicate Vol. 3by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 7 Komi and her new friends go to the pool. Komi "talks" with her dad and later her grandmother. Komi ends up helping with a job that puts her out of her comfort zone. Komi and Tadano spend a festival together. Komi realizes she has feelings for Tadano.This volume is almost like a bunch of bonus stories. There's not much focus on Komi trying to improve her communication, but rather it's interactions that make her more comfortable with the stage that she's at, which is important. The pool scene surprised me given her communication issues and general anxiety with interacting with people, but it's not surprising for shonen to contain cheesecake in this manner. I applauded how all of her new friends help Komi at different points, from swimsuit selection to lifting her spirits after she injures herself. Of course, her interactions with Tadano are the best; he's truly considerate, and they click. There's plenty of humor thanks to everyone's reactions to various things about / around Komi -- holding their breath was my favorite. Najimi's ambiguous gender is maintained because Tanado questions her changing in the women's room, and she ends up changing in the unisex room, and wears a hoodie and shorts over her swimsuit .... There's humor in it, including that she's scored by the guys just like the other girls, but she's not made fun of regarding her gender. I love that Komi's dad has the same issues as her when it comes to communicating, which means the two of them communicate well with each other without words. There are some nice scenes with Komi's family that are insightful on a few levels. The grandmother's scene is very nice and touches directly on Komi's feelings for Tadano, which are really developing well and without being forced. The job that pushes her out of her comfort zone is arguably good character growth, but is also situational humor, though I more feel bad for Komi. The reveal of Tadano at the end of that scene is the best part. The festival is my favorite scene (another popular go-to, so having it and a pool scene in the same volume is a lot). Tadano and Komi both struggle with budding feelings and attraction, as well as crowds and other challenges. It's nice, though it seems slightly early for this scene. Another female character kept trying to get Komi to kneel in front of her and eat things that were stand-ins for a penis (banana, corn dog), which is so against the grain of everything else about this series that it's offensive. Thankfully, Najimi rescues her each time, and while I can't tell if she realizes she's saving Komi or not, it's appreciated, as well as lightening the scene with humor. An enjoyable volume that maintained some growth, though it was more fluff. Written: January 4, 2020
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