Nisekoi: False Love Vol. 10by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 7 Raku gets in trouble at a public bath house that all of the girls just happen to be at on the same night at the same time. The group cleans the school pool. Raku learns Shu's crush and supports him. Raku helps the Onodera sisters. Raku gets amnesia.I missed volume 9. Volume 8 was rather a fluff piece, and volume nine seems to have introduced not one, but two new characters. Haru, Kosaki's younger sister, has an over-protective-sister complex. Thankfully, she is put in a position where she grudgingly accepts that she may have misjudged Raku and that he may be a genuinely nicer guy than she gave him credit for. I wondered why Raku forgot about Haru when Ruri asked him to go take care of Kosaki while she was sick, but Haru was conspicuously absent from the first eight volumes of this series, so it makes sense that he got excited about seeing the one while forgetting about the other. I don't mind her inclusion, especially since I don't ship Kosaki with Raku, so having her as a physical barrier and deterrent works for me. However, it's really hard to tell the sister apart when they're not expressing nervous anxiety (Kosaki) or anger (Haru) around Raku -- Haru's hair tie is supposed to help, but that's if she's turned so you can see it. I've also missed something important about Raku's lock being Haru's that she's supposed to give to a certain guy from her past -- yeah, like things weren't complicated enough. The second character is Paula, an assassin who admires Tsugumi almost-like-a-sister complex. I like her distrusting yet willing-to-learn personality (as opposed to Haru's being solely distrusting). She's only in one of the mini-stories of this volume, and isn't even important enough yet to warrant a picture and blurb in the front of the manga. I hope she plays a bigger role, but I hope she doesn't become one of the "harem." The opening of this volume is random fluff. Raku has a reason to be at the bathhouse, however unlikely. For Chitoge and Mariko to just "happen" to choose now for their first time trying a public bathhouse screams conspiracy and stalking. Also, isn't Tsugumi Chitoge's bodyguard? Then, why did she come separate and with Paula? The only part about this section that I liked is the old woman who runs the bathhouse and her knowing way of meddling for the sake of young romance. The pool cleaning section is short and is done primarily to get a better feel for Paula. It's actually not about seeing the girls in swimsuits! The section about Shu's crush has everyone starting a new year of school, conveniently with the same class and seats that were arranged in volume 8 (thank goodness we didn't have to go through that again). I appreciate seeing a more serious side to Shu and learning that, while he likes all women, he has a think for older women. I also like the hints that he may like Ruri (and that that idea remains a possibility for the future). I love that Raku is supportive of his best friend and tries to find the best way to be that support. I am more than a little confused as to why Raku went to Tsugumi for romance advice; the only reason for it is for us, as readers, to learn Tsugumi's thoughts on this subject relative to her own situation (loving someone she can't have). I like that they try to come up with black and white answers, but keep ending up in a shade of grey. The volume ends with Raku protecting Chitoge from a stray baseball and getting amnesia from the hit to his head. This coming on the heels of their angry and frustrated misunderstanding regarding him not initially remembering her birthday is an interesting combination. Amnesia-Raku is open and easy-going and naïve. He's also stoked to learn that Chitoge is his girlfriend (not knowing the "pretend" part), and I love how easily he compliments her. I also like that he's totally uninterested in Marika and he's not ga-ga over Kosaki for once. Out of all the girls present, he's excited to be with Chitoge! How refreshing! I hope this amnesia aspect is used to further their relationship, possibly past the "pretend" thing (as they have both been developing feelings anyway); it's definitely pushing Chitoge further in that direction. I do feel sorry for Tsugumi, who is seen by Amnesia-Raku as a guy. The group's solution to the sleeping arrangement (not adding the yakuza aspect to the fact that he's concerned he's been a sleazy guy with all these girls), also does good things for his relationship with Chitoge and provides some fun humor and one interaction that may have future consequences (good or bad -- hard to tell now). Their plan for helping him remember reminds us how violent and / or accident prone all these girls really are and sets things up for exploring the past promises in the next volume. While I'm not a big fan of amnesia stories, I really like how this is being handled. I also really like how Raku is handling all this information. I just hope I'm not disappointed with how things are handled in the next volume, especially regarding his relationships with these girls. Written: August 18, 2015
|
|
|
Home | Features | Columns | Culture Vultures | Report Card Tart Store | Indicia | Contact | Archives © Sequential Tart, 1998 – 2020 |
