Itazura na Kiss 2

Kaoru Tada – Digital Manga Publishing – 2010 – 23 volumes
the DMP editions are two-volume omnibuses, this volume contains 3-4 of the original series

After reading Sarasah, the one thing that struck me through the second volume was how similar the heroines were. Which made me cringe, since I hated the heroine in Sarasah, and I’m quite fond of Kotoko. I think Kotoko is kinder and more good-natured than the heroine in Sarasah, but I’ve seen a lot more of Kotoko, too. They share a similarity in the fact they both chase after a boy that has soundly rejected them on more than one occasion. Kotoko does it marginally less obnoxiously than Ji-Hae (ie in private), but it always winds up turning into a public spectacle, anyway. I can sympathize with Kotoko more, though, since she holds onto her feelings in private and others are the ones that air it out to Naoki, and Naoki ridicules her in public for it several times… when she hasn’t really done anything.

On that note, Naoki struck me as much more of a jerk this time. They do share a first kiss, but it was the most vindictive kiss I’ve ever seen. I think the implication is that Naoki does secretly have a crush on Kotoko, but it comes off much more as exasperation in this volume, and the kiss was… some sort of wager on his part when she vowed to forget him. And then he kissed her and told her to go ahead and try. With no real romantic subtext at all, on his part. What a jerk. And yes, Kotoko does try to keep her feelings from airing out in public, but Naoki does things like ridicule her in front of two classes for it, and somehow everyone else winds up knowing that Kotoko carries a torch, too.

I feel bad for Kotoko. She is upbeat and a very nice girl, and I’m glad she has good friends at school and such an advocate in Mrs. Irie. Aside from the latter’s enthusiasm about a future marriage between her son and Kotoko (also a source for frequent public humiliation for Kotoko), the two have a sweet mother-daughter relationship.

This volume is less about Kotoko leaning on Naoki to get her out of a mess (although that happens twice) and more about her transition into college and trying to give up on Naoki, who treats her very poorly and hasn’t given her much of a reason to like him. The transition to college is interesting, because it is hyped up by the characters as a major life change, then, true to form, winds up being much the same as high school was. It does open new opportunities, however, like the tennis club Kotoko and Naoki are now a part of, and a new “romantic rival” for Kotoko that Naoki seems equally uninterested in.

Strangely, for all the indifference Naoki shows Kotoko, he gets even more wicked and vindictive when it looks like Kotoko may be going out with another guy towards the end of the volume. Oh, Naoki. I’m pretty sure he gets nice eventually, but this is hard to sit through.

I enjoy it, though, because it is a pure, undiluted girls comic. Valentine’s chocolates, entrance exams, college club recruitment, romantic misunderstandings, wacky parents, and yes, even Kotoko’s ill-conceived plans to win over Naoki are delightful. The art is wonderful, the nice characters are great, Kotoko’s support network does her good… there’s so much to like about it. I’m hoping the negativity will be toned down when Kotoko and Naoki do finally get together.