Behind the Scenes!! Vol. 1by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 8 Ranmaru accidentally falls in with the Art Squad, a club that makes all the props for the four movie clubs on campus. He's the artistic black sheep of his fisherman family, and his inferiority complex and pessimistic outlook put him at odds with everyone else. However, Ryuji Goda sees something in Ranmaru worth keeping and nurturing. Will Ranmaru be just what the Art Squad needs in a time of crisis?Bisco Hatori will be known to most as the manga-ka of Ouran High School Host Club, but I know her better as the manga-ka for Millennium Snow. If you're a fan of either series, it's definitely worth checking out this new one. It reminds me a bit of Bakuman in that it's a behind-the-scenes story, but it's more relatable due to it being a school club activity and one that many readers have probably tried (to some degree) at some point. I like that it's a young-adult (college) age group rather than high school partially because it adds a layer of seriousness -- they are in this club because they want to use these skills in a job in the future. I also like that it's not in the same field as their majors. The manga-ka does a nice job of introducing each of the main characters in an "extra" panel at chapter breaks. The inspiration for the characters' names are interesting factoids that don't have any influence on the characters themselves. The art is excellent, mixing tons of action with lots of typical shojo open spaces and gray shading. The character designs are solid, and I like the diversity in the characters' appearances. I get the feeling that they will become more memorable the more I get to know them. Ranmaru is really hard to identify with. However, I quickly moved from feeling both annoyed with him and sorry for him (as it's really not as funny as I'm sure the manga-ka intended it to be) to being wowed by what he can do. He's full of amazing creativity, and it comes through in all kinds of situations, especially stressful ones! He also pays attention to details and things around him, which comes in quite useful on multiple occasions. Goda is kind of scary, but in a good way. He's a great leader, and I like how he is able to push (or pull) Ranmaru in a positive direction. Goda's fierceness is nicely balanced by Ruka, the costumes expert, who is friendly, kind, and optimistic even under stress and insults. Her pride manifests differently, and it makes her a good leader as well. The last story in this volume focuses on her dealing with a spiteful director, and her work ethic puts everyone else to shame. I do love how Ranmaru was able to help her in that story, too -- his knowledge and attention to things around him saved the production. I also want to mention Maasa. She's an expert in special effects, especially gore. I love her morbid sense of humor, her obsession with zombies, and the unique shape of her eyes (which gives her an almost vampiric look). While this first volume is very much an introduction, it also dives right into the action of this story. We get to see how the Art Squad functions as a group and on different projects. I love how they organize a series of tasks for Ranmaru to introduce him to all the various aspects he'll be working with. I'm very interested in seeing where this story goes and what kind of personal growth Ranmaru will go through. Written: April 10, 2016
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