Can Belldandy restrain her jealousy when a cute girl demands a kiss from Keiichi in exchange for access to heaven? Sure, Belldandy is a Goddess, but she is a woman first.
Creative Staff
Writer/Artist: Kosuke Fujishima
Translation: Christopher Lewis and Dana Lewis
Adaptation: Christopher Lewis and Dana Lewis
What They Say
Ever since a cosmic phone call led to five literal young goddesses – Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, and, like occasional vowels, Peorth and Lind – coming to live in college student Keiichi’s residence, his personal life has been turned upside down, sideways, and sometimes even into strange dimensions! Peorth is called back to Heaven – which is probably just as well, considering the mischief she caused in trying to get Keiichi to express his true feelings to Bell-chan. But the gate to return her isn’t opening-because it turns out that such gates aren’t things, they’re beings that seek information . . . and this one, in the form of a cute girl, is on strike – until she gathers certain earthly knowledge involving love and kisses!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
It seems Peorth’s extended vacation on Earth has finally reached its end as Heaven demands her return. No one wants her to leave until she explains her need to return to Heaven in order to repair the Time Network. Unfortunately, it seems Peorth can’t return because the Gate is in a ‘snit’.
Gates can’t be upset, they just swing open and closed. Of course, nothing to do with Heaven and the Goddesses is normal. That and the reader might grow bored if everything worked the first time. Apparently, the Gate is alive and currently on strike until she gets what she wants. I wonder what they named their Union. I think this is an interesting idea, that the gate is alive and takes memories, or data, from people in exchange for passage to and from Heaven. At this point, the Gate is tired of experiencing life vicariously, she wants to experience it for herself.
This leads to various comedic moments as the Goddesses try to placate the Gate. However, what the Gate really wants is the experience of love. I think she went to the wrong group of people. Keiichi can’t man up for Belldandy, Urd and Peorth have never been lucky in love, and Skuld is too young for all that. Nonetheless, the Gate tries kissing everyone in an attempt to experience love. Simple yuri fun, or a death wish from Belldandy?
In Summary:
This volume is on the sparse side; meaning it is overall short and there isn’t any real character development for anyone. Added to the fact that nothing important or dire is really happening and this volume seems to be more of a placeholder. I love the [I]Oh My Goddess![/I] series, but volumes like this leave me kind of flat as they are not that funny nor is the content touching emotionally. Oh well, the art is still good and maybe Fujishima is catching his breath for the next story arc.
Content Grade: B-
Art Grade: A
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A-
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: January 9th, 2009
MSRP: $10.95