Another volume of the dancing series about very earnest dancers who dance a lot and talk about dancing even more.
It's nice, and I like it as I'm reading it. But then I see the series is up to twelve volumes and counting and that seems like maybe a bit too much for these characters at this pace.
Hmm. I'll probably come back to this in a little while. Maybe.
Look, there’s an honest-to-god dance battle in this volume so I don’t know what else you want from something like this?
This might be one of the only manga with hyper-stylized art that I actually think adds to the story rather than detracts from it. There is movement in this story and it is, in the end, about the joy of said movement and the freeing power of dance. Kabo is realizing this even as the volume winds down - he’s found his thing and when he immerses himself in it he’s practically a whole other person, the one he wants to be.
And so it goes, mixed in with the usual high school drama that you’d kind of want with something like this. The ‘why wasn’t I picked to perform’ and ‘why WAS I picked to perform’ that illustrate two very different personalities at work in the same space. Tossed in with Kubo’s ongoing stuttering and his joy of dance mixed with his embarrassment of it.
Of course, Kabo and Wanda grow even closer and there’s the question of how much Kabo is using Wanda as a crutch and part of his drive to excel, plus mixed in with all the other feelings stirring between them. At least in his mind; Wanda is very wonderfully straightforward and would probably just date Kabo right now if asked. He’s making things more complicated just by being a teenage boy.
It justifies all the fan service you could ever want, it has a killer soundtrack (which firmly rules out an accurate anime adaptation ever happening - prove me wrong!), slick moves, not-so-slick moves, drama on the dance floor and off. It is, I think, the best possible version of this story that I can envision.
this thing got me locked the fuck in. I'm playing whatever song they're currently dancing to, checking out different dancing styles (house is such a vibe holy shit) that are mentioned and dancing in front of the mirror. I think it is safe to say that I'm a fan ヽ(*´▽)ノ♪
I’m really enjoying this series! I made a playlist of all the songs that were referenced in this volume: Wandance Vol. 2 Playlist I feel like listening to the music while reading the manga adds another dimension to the story.
I really loved this quote: “Two people might listen to the very same song, and one of them could think, “Hmm…” while the other thinks “Wow! That’s out of this world!” Some songs make you nostalgic or give you a rush of joy. They might get you fired up to fight. It’s different for everyone, right? But the thing about people is, they sort of forget how to talk when they’re excited. They naturally begin to express themselves with their body. So and this is the part that might sound strange, but I personally think that maybe that’s what dance is.”
This is a pretty cool series. I do like that the songs they dance to are listed when they start dancing as well. The friendships are pretty good as well!
These characters are growing on me! I like the introduction of Iori-kun and the fact he’s not a rival but just someone who loves dancing. The easy friendship between Wanda and the main character, as well as his stutter, are also interesting. I look forward to reading more!
Moving along quickly. It’s interesting that the author has put so much personal experience into it, such as love of dancing and stuttering. That probably helps with making it realistic…even if I still think the pacing is a bit too fast. Kabo’s battle with Iori was kind of weird, like he did great then flubbed it badly. I feel like it’s just thrown in there as a reminder that he’s a newbie, but it feels too contrived. Also, I think this kind of battle is inherently biased if one person is picking the songs from their own playlist…
Speaking of the music, I have been listening to each song as I read. I don’t feel like the music picks really match the dances. The dances look so dynamic and sharp in the artwork, and I expected the music to reflect that, with strong, fast beats and a more hip hop sound. Maybe my imagination is too limited, because I felt the music didn’tmake sense.
I was marveling at how toned all the kids are. Kabo looked rather ripped even when he starts out dancing. It was super cute that Wanda thought he was holding out his hand to hold, then realized later that he’d been checking for rain. She put her hand in his so naturally 😆
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Band 1 hat mich richtig begeistert und ich hatte mich sehr auf diesen Band hier gefreut. Leider fand ich ihn unglaublich langweilig und am Ende habe ich nur noch gehofft, es bald durch zu haben. Mein Hauptproblem war, dass es in diesem Teil fast gar nicht mehr um die emotionalen und sozialen Probleme der Protagonisten ging, sondern fast nur noch um das Tanzen. Leider wurde das dann bis ins Detail erörtert und das langweilte mich sehr. An sich ist das sicher kein schlechter Manga und er wird seine Leserschaft finden aber für mich war es leider nichts mehr. Der Zeichenstil war wieder richtig genial. Das Tanzen wird so unglaublich gut umsetzt und ich liebe die sehr eigene Art der Mangaka Gesichter und Körper zu zeichnen. Doch das hat es dann eben nicht gerettet. Die Reihe wird definitiv bei mir wieder ausziehen.
I can't get over how technical this makes hip-hop dances, but for someone first learning how to dance to it I guess this is as step-by-step as a beginner would need. I like that one of the characters acknowledged it's not all about how well you can copy another dancer (outside of choreographed dances), it's also about your own style and flow, y'know.
Commendable on the author for trying their best to draw movement and 8-counts. This is one manga that seriously requires animation to show it to its full potential. Yes, everyone still looks goofy.
But the story and the main character are earnest. Wholesome, even.
Kabo is really starting to get into the dance club and has his first dance battle. The art during the dance sequences is fantastic. As someone who knows nothing about dance, this series is captivating me. I love Kabo and Wanda. They interact so well with each other and their relationship feels so genuine.
On-chan gets a bit of spotlight this volume and I'm here for it. She's my favourite character in the series. Iori makes his appearance and we see the beginnings of Kabo's shift into house dance. Great volume, Kabo and Wanda are very sweet.
i think the story is great but even with the detailed panels it's hard to imagine the dances the characters are doing which is taking away from everything else.