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.
With two volumes to go, Komi and company do their usual business this volume: meander all over creation in search of a joke or two to squeeze out of this scenario before we wrap it all up.
I’ll admit that I’ve been punishingly miserable to this series lately, but it also hasn’t been especially good or funny. I wouldn’t say that this is particularly hysterical or anything, but it’s definitely a step up (guess what? No Yamai either!).
I think lacking the wordplay of the original Japanese and getting no notes related to same does hurt this story. Even with that, however, it’s more of a chuckle than anything hilarious. You’ve seen all these characters do all this stuff before and better.
Now, if you still love this? Don’t fret - it’s good enough. There are even a couple of dramatic or more serious moments that come across pretty solidly. It’s not a bad volume, I just haven’t especially been interested for a while.
The volume leads off with a karaoke bit that works because of increasingly integrated antics of the person who’s on duty. This is followed by a couples contest that has some amusing turns, plus Naruse shows just how much he cares for and considers Ase, which I’ve always appreciated.
Manbagi’s relationship gets more development than Komi and Tadano, which is reasonable since the main couple are not overly exciting (Tadano does get a good moment at the end, points for that). I won’t lie - the weird bit with the breath mints is actually very amusing, along with an appropriate dig at cliffhangers.
Elsewhere, finding out the secret of Komi’s brother, or not, makes for an interesting little twist. Shosuke as a kid is markedly different from how he is now and Tadano’s sister probably has him dead to rights, or not. Their bizarre non-relationship has its moments and this is one of them.
So, yeah, I wouldn’t call this great by any stretch, but it’s certainly one of the most readable volumes I’ve gone through in a bit and it didn’t make me feel like I’d wasted my time. That’s good enough.
3 stars - two volumes left and that’ll be that. I don’t have any issue with finishing this out, but I don’t think I’ll be reading this ever again. Okay fare that doesn’t land with me much.
This once-beloved series continues to limp toward the finish line with just two more volumes -- and three more friends -- to go after this.
After last volume's cultural festival wraps up, we're given a side story with Komi's brother and Tadano's sister. Wasted pages, in my opinion.
Next up is a short arc with Rumiko Manbagi meeting her boyfriend's father that's sort of sweet, sort of dumb.
The last forty pages finally give us some time with the main couple as they realize they have one final hurdle to consolidate their college plans, setting up what I hope is an extended bit of one-on-one time next volume. But no, we'll probably be forced to deal with 42 other characters first again, like this time.
An unfortunately poor showing. Somehow, there seem to be fewer goofy antics, not are there great moments between characters. There are two stories here that cover multiple chapters, but one (with Manbagi) is just kinda boring, and the other (with Shosuke) is poorly told. Both could have used a bit more space for development. It's really unfortunate, because this series still has some steam even after 35 volumes. The material is just poorly utilized.
Third to last volume, and I am just flipping the pages. Only three friends to go to get to Komi's goal of 100! But who cares? It was a dumb goal. Why achieve more friends ratherr than better? Is that the solution to social anxiety?
We don't really hear much about Tadano and Shoko, as they are sort of a passive couple, we are not going anywhere physical with them, there's no real jealousy factor anymore, so ho hum. We do spend some time with them, at least, so will they go away to school together? What will happen? That's the last question. There's a short bit about Tadano's sister and Shoko's brother, but I forgot it already. Rumiko Manbagi, a series fave, has a little story, but eh.
Banger volume back to front, we’re clearly picking up momentum in this third-to-last volume. Like injecting sugar straight into your veins, it’s so dang sweet. So much good character work, particularly for Shosuke, Hitomi and Tadano! Gonna be bummed when this series ends but wow everyone’s come so far TT_TT
I love this whole series, so I am collecting all of it, BUT: I am so beyond sick of the demeaning titty jokes, especially when it is not only coming from peers but a peer's father. It is disgusting things like this that remind me I am glad the series is ending so it cannot continue to get worse. It is really time for it to end, and it may have gone on for too long.
This series is getting a little harder to read through. I don't know if it's because of a lack of quality or because I'm just losing interest in it, but either way I don't look forward to reading these like I used to. I felt that a couple of stories that were supposed to be important didn't have quite the impact I felt they should have, but nevertheless I still smiled and laughed reading them.
4.25/5 This volume has less longer arcs and more smaller moments and chapters. There is some really cute chapters with Wakai and Manbagi when he takes her home to meet his dad. The end of the volume also sets up the next arc as Komi offers to have a study camp with Tadano.
bebby shosuke and shoko! also this series is coming to an end which is so sad :(( i started college when komi first came out and now ive graduated. komi was an important part of my becoming more social and I'm really proud that we both grew up and changed 🥹🥹
I love this volume! Karaoke, more friends made, and relationships blossoming. I love learning more about Shosuke and adore Hitomi Tadano! This has so many characters I love doing things that make me smile and laugh.
Es tan raro ver a Shouske de pequeño y ver que su forma de ser no siempre fue serio. Pero el motivo detrás es más lindo...en serio esa Hitomi es medio rara pero muy perspicaz.
Mangabi y Wakai son tan lindos...como que no es una petición?!!
I just finished My Hero Academia, I am not prepared for Komi to finish. I love this series (even if it annoys me sometimes), it is amazing and I am not ready for the end.
A few odd moments still but as the series sets its sights on graduation, focus is shifting back a bit to some of the core plotlines and I'm very curious where this whole journey is headed.