Komi still can’t communicate. Oh, and Valentine’s Day is approaching. Is Tadano in for a sweet ending or will Komi’s homemade chocolate see his hopes whisked away?
There is no chance for this volume to measure up to the adorable school trip arc from last time, but it does have some real high points. The entire Valentine’s section is pretty fun, showing a lot of welcome cast interaction beyond the leads.
I love the incredible number of fake-outs with Tadano’s storyline (which carries over to White Day); it was really executed well, and I especially liked the way his sister got involved. In some ways he is just as bad as Komi, which has me hoping that in the end she’s the one with the confidence to confess. That would be pretty much perfect.
The two new characters are fun - I think the overly helpful girl is probably my favourite of the two (she REALLY cannot say no). The other one is pleasant until ogre mode engages, but we never see it happen so it’s a bit of a dud. I love the way her hair is drawn through the whole thing though - it’s great design work.
By far my absolute favourite section is a chapter showing Komi’s mom meeting and falling for her dad. I normally hate these sorts of flashbacks, but the dynamic between them is so damn charming that it’s completely irresistible. More of this please.
The biggest downside is going to be a total broken record from me, but I despise Yamai, the girl with the psychotic crush on Komi. I realize it’s being played for laughs, but it isn’t funny. Crossing lines and making people with anxiety disorders uncomfortable doesn’t go far with me.
It was also a bummer to see the school trip duo sidelined. I mean, I knew it would happen, but they were the best additions to the cast in ages. I’m glad they got a little to do, but it wasn’t near enough (and this shogi chapter was much lamer than the last one).
3 stars. Most of this is a 3.5, but my unending disdain for Yamai negates any rounding up. I’m quite serious when I say she is a blight on an otherwise pleasant book.