古見さんは、コミュ症です。volume 14 [Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu. 14]

古見さんは、コミュ症です。 [Komi-san wa, Komyushō Desu.] #14

by Tomohito Oda, オダトモヒト

夏休みが嬉しいコミュ症美少女コメディー!

高校2年の夏休み、いつの間にか友達がたくさんできていて、
嬉しいことがたくさんな夏を満喫です。
高速バスで田舎に帰り、従妹や井中さんと。
只野くんと一緒に自転車に乗りに。
クラスメートで集まって撮った動画を見たり。
夏祭りの屋台を手伝って、友達みんなが遊びに来てくれたり。
仲良しな友達と花火を見たり。
そして恋の関係性にも、少し変化が?

夏にやりたかったことが、ちょっとずつ埋まっていく
コミュ症美少女コメディー、第14巻!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Slice Of Life, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Humor

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2019

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lively but less focused volume in the series, where we visit Grandma in the country for Oban, where we revisit a huge cast of characters in the growing list of Komi's friends list. Tadano helps Komi learn how to ride a bike! Encouraging? Then there's a summer festival, hijinks. But it feels like a scattered volume, after last volume's focus on Komi and Rei.

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume contains the start of a major arc that goes on several volumes and reaches its penultimate moment with a class trip to New York City (not a spoiler, the NYC hints are not quite subtle in upcoming covers), and changes the relationship of the the Komi-Tadano-Manbagi triumvirate forever.

Other stories in this volume are, an Obon chapter, a behind the scenes epilogue of sorts for the test of courage from the last volume, and a short festival arc. This is pretty good volume, good enough to recommend to new readers of this title.

[Kate♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5stars

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid entry in the Komi series. The first part, the end of summer vacation, felt a bit like filler and time passing slowly which, come to think of it matches the end of summer. But in the second half we see the interpersonal love triangle heat up in the context of a funny food stand at a summer festival. Although these are low stakes, it's still fun to see the friendships of all different types of teens and the stories are heartwarming.

**THanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Off visiting her cousin, Komi is about to discover how boring the countryside can be. After we check in with everybody during Obon we get a consequence-filled meeting between Tadano and Komi over a bicycle built for nobody. Then a festival happens and fireworks are figuratively and literally going off, but maybe not for who you’d expect…

Another very solid volume of our favourite non-communicator. Despite the sheer number of characters that this series currently juggles, it consistently manages to give page time to a lot of them (the Obon ‘series’ are a perfect blast of one-shots showing off some very good jokes). I mean, I can barely remember who is who, but it’s still funny.

The book focuses on a number of stalwarts, including the duo from the school trip who were absolutely amazing and I’m glad the series doesn’t just move forward to new friends each time (by the time Komi reaches a hundred I’ll need flash cards or something). The girl who writes yaoi doujinshi and wants Tadano to hook up with the burly guy in class is also a favourite.

And, yes, as she has for many volumes, Rumiko Manbagi absolutely steals the show. Ugh, again, I am going to be heartbroken when she is trampled on the path to the obvious pairing of Tadano and Komi. She’s just such a sweet character and I loved seeing her hang with her gyaru friends (when they’re trying to guess her crush from a series of photos it’s very, very funny) and with the gang.

In fact, the romance is flying fast and furious this volume. Tadano and Komi have an incredibly cute bicycle meeting that Tadano manages to basically turn into a date by being nice and then further complicates by being helpful. I don’t dislike their relationship, it’s super sweet, but… yeah… stop making me root for them, book!

During the festival, however, while several characters are stalling out, Tadano and Manbagi end up on basically a date and then the realization of her affections hits Manbagi but it hits everybody else around who sees them (except possibly Komi) at the exact same time.

The aftermath of this is yet another really good chapter. My prediction is that this triangle is going to be forcibly resolved by Komi having to literally say something, but we’ll see… The school trip girls and Komi have the absolute best girl talk in the book.

And I haven’t touched on a lot of other stuff that I would love to talk about, which is the sign of a good book. Komi’s been on a very consistent string of volumes lately and my grumbling over somebody about to be done dirty aside, it hits way more often than it misses.

Okay, last thing, I love the section with Komi’s brother and Tadano’s oddball little sister that opens the book just because these two have such a similar yet also completely different dynamic compared to our older leads. And the section where Komi and her cousin learn the joys of the countryside from a character who has never been used better.

4 stars - another very strong showing and long may it last. It’s not often the funniest gag manga going, but it is almost always hitting a lot more comedy beats than missing them and I respect that given how many volumes we’ve seen released by now.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong start with a chapter about the hijinks of the younger siblings of the main cast leads to some summer doldrums as Komi heads off into the countryside to visit her grandmother for Obon and then the story first rotates around the whole extended cast first for the Oban holiday, then for everyone's participation in last volume's scary prank, and then for everyone's attendance at a summer festival. You know, I really want Komi to succeed in her quest for 100 friends, but I do not want to see dozens and dozens of the existing ones crammed into every volume. The number of characters is totally out of control!

Fortunately, the book is able to push in the focus during the climactic festival fireworks and give us a few welcome sparks of ignition in the long developing romantic triangle of obliviousness before going right back out for an extended cast debriefing.

[Victor The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

We get to see a fun side story of seeing some of the characters’ siblings in the same class and it’s wonderful. Later we see Komi visiting her grandma & cousin while spending time with a surprise guest and a firework of feelings occur in her group of friends. A- (91%/Excellent)

[akacya ❦]

2023 reads: 148/350

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid installment in the Komi series. We are starting to see a different side of Komi due to one of her new friendships. This friend is unintentionally making Komi evaluate her feelings, and maybe move faster than she is actually ready for. What will this mean in the long run? I can't wait to find out!

[Jillian -always aspiring- · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s hard to dislike this series even when it’s being oblivious and drawn-out.

[valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[DonutKnow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Najimi is the coolest friend ❤️

But also, this love triangle is looking a lot like Nisekoi, which I really didn’t like 😭

[Jenny Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time moves along in this series quite well. I love the fact that even though Obon and festivals come around again, it's different this time.
Cute series!
I'm interested to see if the younger Katai, Tadano and Komi siblings become friends. I did miss seeing Komi's mom and dad's romance, as those are always cute.
Check out my YouTube channel for bookish videos and monthly wrap ups!

[Ally (AllyEmReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooooooooo we are officially in love triangle territory people! This is not a drill!

[Ekene · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two are so cute and have the SLOWEST of slowburn I've seen yet

[Rereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is was another great installment, but I'm incredibly biased because there was a festival present and I am absolute trash for festivals. Of course there were other great moments; I loved seeing how everyone spent their Obon (Otori's and Onemine's were especially amusing), seeing Komi grow as she takes the bus with just her brother was wonderful and relatable, and the aftermath of the festival was hilarious. Thankfully, the rest was as present in this volume (just some of the regular cast) and I am eternally grateful because this series is at its best when the focus is on a handful of students. I am nervous going forward because the one chapter focusing on Najimi getting the class to punk Komi showed how gimmicky and uninteresting the rest of the class is, but I'll save my judgment for now.

Anyway, this was a great volume and I had a ton of fun with it. Hope this momentum keeps up in future installments.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solider Band mit ein paar tollen Highlights, aber auch vielen Zwischensequenzen, die nicht unbedingt nötig waren. Zwei wunderwunderschöne Komi-Tadano-Szenen, die einfach niedlich waren. Mal wieder ein Festival, mal wieder ein Besuch bei den Großeltern, etwas viel Füllmaterial, wo man doch tolle neue Szenen schaffen könnte für all die neuen Freund:innen.
Trotzdem ein schöner Abschluss in diesem Jahr. Mal sehen, ob ich die Reihe noch fortsetze. Der Band war eindeutig wieder ZU zergliedert und episodenhaft, das wurde in den Bänden 11-13 schon besser umgesetzt.

[Des Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more subtle volume, lots of catch up and multi-story chapters. All lots of fun to read, but overall less focused on any particular arc. I really enjoy experiencing the yearly traditions again with how things have changed. The visit to Grandma, Odon, etc. This one ends with a bang for sure, I felt the tension as the "Three Parties" chapter kicked off.

[Dayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this series was leading up to this love rival!

This volume had some really cute moments between Tadano and Komi that I’d been missing for the last few volumes. I’m hoping that this is a new theme for the next few volumes!!

Happy reading!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still loving this series but the last few volumes have been more 4.5/4 stars as they haven't been super hilarious or heartwarming. Also there has been a lack of Najimi.

[Ken Yuen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable summer with Komi and friends

[Araceli · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7⭐️

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk if I’m vibing with this love triangle you guys.

[Zuli · Rating 3 out of 5]

tadano is a gentleman fr

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always so fricken cute

[Mersi · Rating 5 out of 5]

YOU'RE FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!????? A RIVAL!!!!???????

[The Book Ghost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another step down from the last, but still a cut above most of the others. That being said, this volume has felt the slowest of them all so far.


*3 out of 5*

[Encarni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ya está el triángulo montado y aunque soy una gran hater de los triángulos amorosos, aquí se me hace muy tierno.

Que se nos presenten por igual a las tres personas y ver que entre ellas hay por igual amor es muy lindo. Personalmente, yo sacaría de aquí relación poliamorosa al paso porque Komi y Rumiko, además del amor que sienten por Tadano, se quieren muchísimo la una a la otra.

Este manga de verdad me calienta el pecho y no podría ser más feliz leyéndolo

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

As summer draws to a close, everyone slowly but surely tends to their assorted family and communal obligations before gravitating back into the fold of the everyday. KOMI CAN'T COMMUNICATE #14, on the whole, is another volume about the in-between moments of teenage life. Seasonal holidays. Awkward classmate encounters. Oversimplified family encounters. Memories upon memories upon memories.

This is an easy volume to overlook because little substantial occurs, but one can always find two or three nuggets of contentedness amid the usual brush with simplicity. For example, the snapshot glance at how the cast spends Obon is worthy of note. Nakanaka spends day after day gaming with her extended family (but lets them win every once in a while). Katai attends a family meeting that looks alarmingly like a gathering of mafia folk (but everyone is just as internally petrified as Katai). Osana crashes Tadano's family gathering and blends in like always (but somehow gets away with his obandama, the money gift). And perhaps most charmingly, Kato, the glasses girl, spends her Obon quietly playing shogi and drinking tea with her grandfather.

A lot can be said for a manga with such a large ensemble cast that makes an effort to humanize each of its characters. Success is a bit of a rarity in this regard. Nevertheless, the few open-ended questions the creative team has permitted to linger since the manga's debut seem to drift or float to the fore at times like these. For example, readers have no idea what Osana's home situation is actually like. Or what about Inaka, the country girl? She's extraordinarily charming, and all of the other characters adore her, but she still lacks so much confidence.

Additional highlights include a hysterical if nonstandard episode during which Tadano spends an afternoon by the river with three lesser-seen characters: Totoi (who looks like the Buddha), Ohai (a girl with a breast fetish), and Fukusuki (who looks like a middle-aged businessman). Tadano already knows these three weirdos are pervs, but he follows them down to the high grass near the river as they hunt for discarded dirty magazines. It's a dumb and wistful episode, but the kids laugh, joke, skip stones on the water, and generally have a really good time. The fact that they're nearly caught makes it all that much more ridiculous.

And then there's Manbagi. KOMI CAN'T COMMUNICATE #14 introduces another wrinkle into the relational dynamic between Tadano, Komi, and Manbagi. The gyaru has a blast during a local food stall event and fireworks show. She understands, perhaps more than anyone, Tadano's awkward attempt at people-pleasing as an effort to bring comfort to those typically unsure of themselves. Her affection for Mr. Average is an affirmation of the young man's social ethics as well as of her own desire to get something more out of life. And once spied upon by others, will this lonely girl's affection be reciprocated, frowned upon, or held in check by the competition?

[Alex Richey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm excited that the romance, mostly relegated to the background so far, is finally seeing some attention!