No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 5

No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular! #5

by Nico Tanigawa, Krista Shipley (Translator), Karie Shipley (Translator)

After an unforgiving and grueling introduction to high school, Tomoko's now finally a second-year. One with a tough, sports-crazed homeroom teacher, a somewhat friendly classmate, and a kid brother now stalking the halls of the same school with an even colder attitude toward his big sister... With all these things shaking up her high school life, will Tomoko be able to stick it out through her second year...?!

Genres: Manga, Humor, Graphic Novels, Comics, Slice Of Life, Shonen, Comedy

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 2013

About the author

'Tanigawa Nico' is a pen name of two manga artists

Reviews

[James DeSantis]

Tomoko is just so sad in this volume... the cringe is definitely on a new level. Her introduction to her class was pure secondhand embarrassment for me. And yeah, the dick-thing with her brother was...something else. I do love that we're progressing in time and she's starting her second year. But man...she's so cringy trying to fit in, but you can't help but feel bad for her even if she's mean.

[Filia Martin]

Another funny volume of Watamote. I am finding more and more of myself in Tomoko as this book goes on. Which is not a good thing. I was that person who never talked in class, and if my small group of friends (2) wasn't there, I would sit by myself and read manga. That teacher would probably have been the same for me, too--someone I didn't care for because talking in class made me uncomfortable.
It's weird to see a manga character with negative qualities in a school story, which is probably why I like this series so much tbh.
Anyway.. about this volume in particular, aside from the fact I know a lot about the struggle Tomoko has, social wise.. (minus being that much of a pervert):
There was a lot of funny stuff in this volume, and I liked that this volume shows Tomoko is kind of coming out of her shell. She does talk to that upper classman, and the coffee shop guy, and seems to have at least a classmate she *might* make friends with. And then there is that other girl, from the end of the book. I was glad that the committee chair girl came back in this book, and was still as nice to Tomoko as ever.. and that Tomoko actually seems to recognize it and appreciate it. I am glad to see some signs of character growth, and hope it continues. We know she probably never will be popular (because a lot of people are on the whole not likely to all befriend a quiet person/gamer/weird person because most people don't want to associate with those different from themselves ), but at least she's getting somewhere.

[Beth]

Setting a points system for interacting with people, and then counting it when she visits her brother (now a first-year in her school, and there's a story there) at his classroom, is pure Tomoko.

I liked the episode where Tomoko goes to a coffee shop, nominally to study, and ends up sitting next to a guy who's slacking off work and lets her watch a full season of anime over his shoulder. A bond that exists in just that moment, as the man vanishes from her life without a trace.

I'm almost surprised Tomoko hasn't gained a "reputation" out in the world, but people can't read minds despite what we socially anxious people might think, and Tokyo's a big place.

[Tvrtko Balić]

This seems like where the series is getting less depressing, but I feel like at this point I am too attached to the main character to properly evaluate how the imminent tonal shift could affect the quality of the books.

[Moritz]

AHHHH I LOVE TOMOKO SO MUCH!

Also, her method of reading manga and eating while trying to get people to talk to her SOMETIMES WORKS! It did for me! I ended up having a conversation about anime with someone for an hour! (Other than that, I'm a total mojyo...)

[David Doel]

On a page near the end of this volume is the quote, I thought we'd only get four volumes at best so I'm all out of jokes.... Unfortunately, there is much truth in this note. Why not try for a story?

Five down and TEN to go!

[Tom]

５号は大胆ので、３と４号より面白い

[Dylan Castle]

Funny the best chapters are 43 and 45. Nuff said

[SpookyBoogie]

Why is she so obsessed by and convinced that everyone is having sex?

[Nadina]

This is still a fun series. Looking forward to the next volume.

[Joseph Young]

Much more relatable, we at least get to see some presumed triumphs and short lived progress in her attempts to survive. Her methods of cheating her own system are hilarious.

[Isapropanol]

3,5
Chapter 43 kinda killed me (negative)

[Jason]

It's fascinating to me that I can continue to be interested in and fascinated by this series despite it following the same formula almost for every chapter. It might be because the girl is pathetic enough that you're rooting for things to get better for her, but at the same time, just a bit reprehensible to make you irritated with her. She's very unusual for a lead character, especially for manga, and I think that is a big part of the appeal for me as well. She is extremely flawed but there is a spark of genuineness in her character that pulls you in, no matter how many times she sabotages herself. In vol. 5, she has a couple of encounters that lead you to think that things might change for the positively--and I hope they do, because the formula I mentioned earlier is stating to wear thing after 5 volumes. So the creators need to make some changes or wrap it up sooner rather than later.

[Say]

3.5....
I think I said that I've noticed that Tomoko would probabaly be much happier if she stopped judging people and assuming they we're as shifty as she is....
ah well.... i still like the messed up weirdo in all her pathetic social awkward glory.

[Janice]

4.5 stars

[Szymon]

I love this manga.

[Keri]

I need a 'slightly-depressing' shelf.

[Jasmine Rose]

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood, but this one didn't seem nearly as good as previous ones.

[Filozofifi]

Tomoko trying in her own way…