Otomen Vol. #13 Manga Review

Ryo disguises herself to coach a boys’ judo team!

Creative Staff
Story: Aya Kanno
Art: Aya Kanno
Translation/Adaptation: JN Productions

What They Say
Ryo ends up coaching a high school judo team, but women aren’t allowed at that school! She finds a way around this obstacle, but the real challenge comes when she finds herself facing off against… Asuka?!

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With Asuka finally aware of his dad’s true identity, that leaves Kiyomi Masamune’s anti-otomen attitude and Asuka’s never-quite-dating relationship with Ryo as the main plot drivers for this series. In regard to the Asuka/Ryo romance, it’s been dragging for a while. In Volume 13’s opening chapter, even Ryo’s family expresses concern over the lack of progress between her and Asuka. For readers who’ve been feeling frustrated, Kanno-sensei finally delivers with a Ryo-centered arc in this volume.

The story’s set up to create tension between the couple when Ryo starts coaching judo at Odo Boys’ School but doesn’t tell Asuka. Yet despite Juta’s suspicions and the Odo team captain’s crush, you never really feel that Asuka’s relationship with Ryo is in any real danger, especially when Asuka immediately recognizes the “suspicious boy at Ryo’s house” to be Ryo herself, but it does push Asuka into mopey mode as he wonders if there’s truly anything between him and Ryo.

Ryo for the most part is oblivious–as usual–to the feelings of the men around her, but even she comes to the realization that her actions may have hurt Asuka’s feelings. The resolution is almost a parody of shonen “communicating through fists” with the two of them determined to “clash head-on” in the Odo-Ginyuri judo match. Fortunately for the romantics, a last-minute development changes the match from that of a couple wanting to work things out to one between two boys interested in the same girl. And when Ryo finally does make up with Asuka, she does it in an unexpectedly romantic way. Sadly, Kanno-sensei cuts that scene short, keeping us from seeing Asuka’s response to Ryo’s Christmas gift, but she makes up for it with a Valentine’s Day chapter guaranteed to delight Asuka/Ryo fans.

In Summary
Finally, progress in Asuka’s relationship with Ryo! Kanno-sensei takes her time getting to it, working around a plot that has Ryo cross-dressing in order to coach a boys’ judo team, but readers get real confirmation of Ryo’s feelings toward Asuka at last. However, Ryo/Asuka fans will be even more thrilled with Asuka’s Valentine’s Day gift at the end of the volume!

Content Grade: B
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B+

Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: September 4th, 2012
MSRP: $9.99

Sakura Eries

http://sqeries.wordpress.com/

In addition to writing reviews here, I’ve authored a number of short works, including several stories in Cricket magazine. I also have novel-length projects in the works. Find links to my works at my blog: sqeries.wordpress.com.

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