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ぼくたちは勉強ができない / Bokutachi wa benkyō ga dekinai #16
We Never Learn, Vol. 16
Although the main college entrance exam is finally done, a beleaguered Nariyuki Yuiga must now focus on the secondary exams. But sometimes students need a break from the constant grind of studying. Besides, it’s Valentine’s Day, and the girls are determined to make Nariyuki some chocolates he will never forget…
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2020
8 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Taishi Tsutsui
47 books22 followersTaishi Tsutsui 筒井大志 (Tsutsui Taishi) is a japanese mangaka.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 6, 2021
With one exam down and one to go, there’s still time for some studying. Naturally that will immediately fall to the wayside in favour of Valentine’s Day, 80’s pop culture references, and more fan service than an air conditioner repair shop.
I think my biggest problem with We Never Learn is that it’s a perfectly fine read in its genre, but for a comedy, it’s not actually that funny most of the time. So I was pretty excited to get a couple of good laughs out of this one.
First, as the girls are studying for their second exam, we get a series of fun transitions and also every possible variation on failure being thrown out at our hapless heroines. Ugata’s dad loudly watching a samurai film that heavily features ronin is really great.
Second, in a sequence that I liked because it manages to put a lot of genuine heart into the proceedings, Nariyuki has prepared one last notebook for everybody that comes through for them when they need it most. That includes Mafuyu, despite her being a teacher, and Nariyuki’s notebook for her is a good joke (perfect capper in the omake as well).
There’s also some good storytelling during the Valentine’s section, though the whole platonic chocolate thing is very “cough cough”. Nariyuki turns out to love dirt cheap store chocolate, but this is actually used to pull off a pretty wonderful reveal and it segues into one hell of an image to leave the volume on. I’m not one to bother picking sides in a book like this, but it’s hard not to after a story like that…
(amusingly this was the exact same thought I had last volume and about the exact same person, as it turns out)
Naturally there’s some dodgier stuff as well. The big Kominami chapter is a real snooze of nonsense this time around, very typical series stuff for her, unfortunately. After the hilarious one they thought up last time, this one’s comparatively lame.
The first chapter featuring Mafuyu and Nariyuki ends up being more fan service than fun (and whatever to fan service, that part’s fine if it’s what you’re after) - it calls out a very specific romance trope (like, it literally calls it out) but then doesn’t do anything interesting with it.
The incredibly wheezy hypnosis gags also come back for another round, much to my dismay, but I have to admit that they at least use it as a truly bizarre launchpad (read: excuse) for an Urusei Yatsura homage. At least there’s that, and I feel like the way the fan service is done in that story is a quiet ‘screw you’ to the reader, who even upon seeing the words ‘Urusei Yatsura’ probably has a very specific idea of what the fan service is (and yet…).
So, a real mixed bag but it was the most earnest stuff that really hit for me rather than the comedy. After sixteen volumes it was inevitable that we’d see story movement only at the very end, but incredibly it feels like some of those moments were worth waiting for.
3.5 stars, no rounding; We Never Learn earned a 4 star last time, but there were barely any duds last time, not so much here. Honestly, the series as a whole is pretty disposable as far as my own tastes go. Fortunately, it’s got occasional flashes of brilliance, particularly this volume, that remind me why I’ve stuck with it in the first place.
I think my biggest problem with We Never Learn is that it’s a perfectly fine read in its genre, but for a comedy, it’s not actually that funny most of the time. So I was pretty excited to get a couple of good laughs out of this one.
First, as the girls are studying for their second exam, we get a series of fun transitions and also every possible variation on failure being thrown out at our hapless heroines. Ugata’s dad loudly watching a samurai film that heavily features ronin is really great.
Second, in a sequence that I liked because it manages to put a lot of genuine heart into the proceedings, Nariyuki has prepared one last notebook for everybody that comes through for them when they need it most. That includes Mafuyu, despite her being a teacher, and Nariyuki’s notebook for her is a good joke (perfect capper in the omake as well).
There’s also some good storytelling during the Valentine’s section, though the whole platonic chocolate thing is very “cough cough”. Nariyuki turns out to love dirt cheap store chocolate, but this is actually used to pull off a pretty wonderful reveal and it segues into one hell of an image to leave the volume on. I’m not one to bother picking sides in a book like this, but it’s hard not to after a story like that…
(amusingly this was the exact same thought I had last volume and about the exact same person, as it turns out)
Naturally there’s some dodgier stuff as well. The big Kominami chapter is a real snooze of nonsense this time around, very typical series stuff for her, unfortunately. After the hilarious one they thought up last time, this one’s comparatively lame.
The first chapter featuring Mafuyu and Nariyuki ends up being more fan service than fun (and whatever to fan service, that part’s fine if it’s what you’re after) - it calls out a very specific romance trope (like, it literally calls it out) but then doesn’t do anything interesting with it.
The incredibly wheezy hypnosis gags also come back for another round, much to my dismay, but I have to admit that they at least use it as a truly bizarre launchpad (read: excuse) for an Urusei Yatsura homage. At least there’s that, and I feel like the way the fan service is done in that story is a quiet ‘screw you’ to the reader, who even upon seeing the words ‘Urusei Yatsura’ probably has a very specific idea of what the fan service is (and yet…).
So, a real mixed bag but it was the most earnest stuff that really hit for me rather than the comedy. After sixteen volumes it was inevitable that we’d see story movement only at the very end, but incredibly it feels like some of those moments were worth waiting for.
3.5 stars, no rounding; We Never Learn earned a 4 star last time, but there were barely any duds last time, not so much here. Honestly, the series as a whole is pretty disposable as far as my own tastes go. Fortunately, it’s got occasional flashes of brilliance, particularly this volume, that remind me why I’ve stuck with it in the first place.
July 14, 2021
It's finally Go Time! Will everyone pass? Also, get out the kleenex!
Will anyone fail? After starting with another amusing accidently risqué moment with Sensei, our fine young lad receives chocolates from everyone, then, the fated day comes... FINAL EXAMS! Then, the agonizing wait for the results. Our friends all go to their separate places to see their results, even so, they are all connected via a group call. All together, at the same time, they each look at the posted results and... well, you will just have to read this to find out! I will tell you, it will bring tears to your eyes! Then, after the dust settles... a true confession of love! Who? Where? When? Buy this manga and see for yourself! BTW, I'm still waiting for the teased We Never Learn X Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs crossover!!!
Will anyone fail? After starting with another amusing accidently risqué moment with Sensei, our fine young lad receives chocolates from everyone, then, the fated day comes... FINAL EXAMS! Then, the agonizing wait for the results. Our friends all go to their separate places to see their results, even so, they are all connected via a group call. All together, at the same time, they each look at the posted results and... well, you will just have to read this to find out! I will tell you, it will bring tears to your eyes! Then, after the dust settles... a true confession of love! Who? Where? When? Buy this manga and see for yourself! BTW, I'm still waiting for the teased We Never Learn X Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs crossover!!!
July 13, 2021
Shenanigans involving midwinter and rain. Shenanigans with maids and sushi. Shenanigans with ogres and peanuts? Some really fancy valentines and at least two love confessions! Then I'm crying because I've become invested in these characters and I want them to succeed and I completely understand the stress and anxiety of pass/fail testing.
We're not at the "inevitable parting of ways and tears" part yet, but it's coming. But first we need to resolve that cliffhanger ending. I've been waiting for this moment for 16 volumes and now I have to wait some more!
This series has 21 volumes.
We're not at the "inevitable parting of ways and tears" part yet, but it's coming. But first we need to resolve that cliffhanger ending. I've been waiting for this moment for 16 volumes and now I have to wait some more!
This series has 21 volumes.
July 17, 2022
This brings the story back up to where it was. I enjoyed seeing the girls friendship and how they all interacted with Nariyuki. The next volune will be Uruka's ending, and it will be interesting to see how that work out since she's going overseas for college.
December 28, 2024
First few chapters were a bit of a snore, but we actually got the final exams at the end and after building up to it for so long it's actually exciting to see. The few tender moments, along with Yuiga's 'final notebook', brought this volume back up.
January 31, 2021
สอบติดกันแล้ว ยินดีด้วย
กะแล้วว่าอุรุกะต้องเปิดคนแรก ใครจะเป็นคนตาม
กะแล้วว่าอุรุกะต้องเปิดคนแรก ใครจะเป็นคนตาม
August 28, 2022
Y con este tomo estaría al día de no ser porque todavía me falta el 10 :(
October 18, 2022
Those last two pages….
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews