ODA Tomohito Name (in native language):小田智仁 Associated Names:オダトモヒト
Tomohito Oda won the grand prize for World Worst One in the 70th Shogakukan New Comic Artist Awards in 2012. Oda’s series Digicon, about a tough high school girl who finds herself in control of an alien with plans for world domination, ran from 2014 to 2015.
Look, I’m as surprised as you are, but this is a really darn good volume and that’s worth celebrating given my general apathy at this stage for any of the antics this series tends to throw out.
And it’s not hard to pinpoint why - the story pares everything down to Tadano and Komi as Tadano preps for his entrance exams. He and Komi head to stay at her grandmother’s while this takes place and silliness comes along with them.
Tadano trying to make nice with Yuiko, said grandmother, is pretty funny. They milk a running gag about her hovering near to death, but the follow-up where Tadano constantly puts his foot wrong was great (the pickles bit had me chuckling).
It’s romantic and funny and wholesome, Yuiko’s backstory is both cute and hilarious (the lettuce gag is one of the best/goofiest the series has done and that’s saying something), and it lets the two leads actually be a couple.
There’s a fantastic kiss between the two of them, made even better with Komi’s reaction. Her turning out to be very keen to push Tadano’s buttons and do a lot more make for a way better time than, I would estimate, the previous five volumes.
The New Year’s shrine visit is another high point, as the first year girl who is incredibly anxious winds up as a shrine maiden. I loved how she and Komi interacted and the way the relationship plays out. Seeing that charm she bought come back was adorable.
Genuinely, I wish the series was more like this. Not to say it’s never been good as a gag book, but this has a gorgeous balance between all the things it does best with almost none of the bad.
The more I think about it, the better it gets. The way everybody has Tadano’s back as he goes to write his exam is terribly sweet, showing the camaraderie of school pals in a great, yet not cloying, manner.
Where HAS this version been the entire time? I don’t know, but I am genuinely glad I didn’t drop this series before the end because it made for a delightful read that nearly made up for some of the lamer volumes I’ve endured towards the end.
4.5 stars - this is peak Komi, possibly literally. The more I consider it the happier I am with it and, divested of its less than stellar predecessors surrounding it, this volume really deserves that bump up.
I really wish Tomohito Oda had skipped the last eleven volumes and just jumped to this, the ramp up to the big finale next volume. For the first time in what feels like forever, Komi and Tadano actually get to spend the majority of the pages together instead of playing B-, C-, D-, or E-plot to the rest of the giant ensemble cast's shenanigans.
The couple spends a month at Komi's grandmother's so Tadano can focus on his studying in hopes he'll be able to qualify for a college close to Komi's. They get to do cute and awkward relationship stuff under the stern and watchful eye of the grandmother and also enjoy some time with Komi's cousin, Akira.
I hope next volume's conclusion keeps the focus on the main characters, but I fear we'll have to run through all 98 of Komi's friends again in addition to picking up the final two to achieve the big 100 goal.
I have to say, this was such a breath of fresh air. I have been so close to giving up on this series for so long, every volume just felt more arbitrary and pointless but this brought it back to what we all came here for. If this series was just 12 volumes of that, I'm sure it would be heralded as a great. While that ship has long sailed, I just hope this series finishes on its feet.
P.S. Where the hell is Najimi, it has been so long
A very strong penultimate volume, mainly because it focuses almost solely on Komi and Tadano. Quite refreshing after the last few volumes of character pinball.
Volume #36 in the Komi Can't Communicate manga series, with ONE more volume to go. I have basically been going through the motions, bored and annoyed in two-starring recent volumes, bur Oda rallies here with a strong and energetic and entertaining volume as we approach the finish. And why? Because Komi, already accepted in her college of choice, spends half of the volume helping Tadano study for the exams that can get him into the same school.
I know, exam prep does not seem to indicate a joyful fictional topic, but somehow it is, and Oda seems fully present in the telling, (as opposed to just setting up plot furniture like festivals and sports and school trips and counting how many friends Komi has gathered toward her goal of 100 before graduation, ugh). Two socially awkward but adorable kids whom we focus on for much of the book, one of the rare volumes where we do that! And yes, they have one really long kiss, after a long 36 volume wait!
Oh, and if you are in fact counting, Komi has 98 on her list of friends, so we know we are near the end.
And there is fun here with Komi's Grandma, at whose house they stay (together, yes), joking around. How could we have predicted a gag about lettuce would work so well? Komi dramatically declares her love for Tadano, too, which he still finds hard to believe/accept, but it's sweet. And we actually don't have to wait til the next issue for the good news about the exams! So: Satisfying and fun coming of age hijinks, yay.
4.75/5 Such a cute volume of Komi Can't Communicate! Tadano accompanies Komi to her grandmother's house so that they can hold a study camp and improve Tadano's chances at attending the same college as Komi. It's wonderful to see Tadano get to know Komi's grandmother and win her over. Komi and Tadano also get closer over the course of the study camp and the volume ends with them returning home and Tadano taking his exam.
“I took her to my penthouse and I freaked it” ahh installment
I can’t believe there’s only one volume left! What a ride! I’ve loved seeing Komi and Tadano grow as people and as a couple! It’s nice to really hone in on their dynamic within Komi’s grandmother’s household, and the parallel of observing multiple generations’ love stories feels at its peak in this volume.
also OMG ONE BED TROPE I’M GONNA LOSE MY DANG MIND
So I just found out there is only one volume left in this series. I am not ready! It feels like all the manga that got me hooked is ending and I don't know what to do without them. This volume was so cute and Komi and Tadano spent the entire volume together and showing more of their love. I am not ready for it to end!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Probably the best volume in a while. It focuses solely on Komi and Tadano and their time with her grandmother. I love her grandma! A super sweet volume and I am glad it was Komi who initiated the push forward in their relationship (having snuggles in bed together). I liked the back story as well showing how her parents and grandparents came together.
Lovely volume, tadono goes to Komi's house for his admission preparation. While he studies for his exam, he also makes the whole village fan of him. And we get lots of Lovey-dovey scenes of the two leads
This issue explores how two highschool students can study at one of their relatives places and it not be completely thrown out of order it also shows the two sides of people who can work together and make a relationship work.
My goodness!!! We finally got back to what made this series so good. This entire volume was filled with great moments and the stage is set for the finale.
I know this isn’t the last volume, but it’s hitting me hard in the feels and I love Komi’s grandma and her back story. One of the best volumes in a while.