I have waited so long for this volume to arrive! Kowloon Generic Romance is easily one of the best series out there—at least for me, without a doubt. That said, once again, I was left wanting moreee.
Now, that should be a good thing, right? When it comes to the mystery—the why behind everything, the reasons things are the way they are—that kind of suspense is perfect. But what really left me unsatisfied this time was Kudou and Reiko. I wanted more of them, and I felt like this volume took a step back instead of forward in that regard. The romance feels like it’s treading water, which was a bit frustrating because I can’t help but root for these two.
That being said, all the stars go to the art and storytelling—no surprises there. The good news? We do get some answers (or at least some intriguing hints) about Generic Kowloon and what Generics actually are. And something I’ve always loved about this series is its portrayal of friendships. They’re flawed, messy, and wonderful. Youmei was such a loyal and encouraging friend to Reiko, and Tao’s dynamic with Kudou was great too—though I had a bad feeling about what he knows but doesn’t say (especially with how it ties to Reiko’s death). Then there’s the longstanding friendship between Miyuki and Yulong, which took me by surprise. Yulong’s protectiveness over Miyuki adds layers to both of them, and it’s becoming more and more clear that Miyuki, for all his tough-guy posturing, is actually a deeply vulnerable character.
I’m definitely sticking with this series—it’s fantastic, and if you haven’t read it yet, you need to. I just hope that, at some point, we get to see the romance in Kowloon Generic Romance—even if it’s "generic," maybe even because it’s generic. Here’s to hoping Volume 10 delivers!