Tomoko grabs private things while others grab the wrong end of the stick
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Nico Tanigawa
Translation/Adaptation: Krista Shipley, Karie Shipley
What They Say
As the dreaded class trip comes to an end, it leaves an unexpected boon in its wake-Tomoko has gotten juuust a bit more capable of conversing with her classmates! But never fear! The trials of an antisocial butterfly are unending, and Tomoko now has a new hurdle to tackle: the sports festival! Forced to take part in events that require actually talking to people, her newfound social skills are put to the test…but youthful enthusiasm and passion are the farthest things from Tomoko’s mind…
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
This volume opens with Tomoko concluding her class trip. After spending a good portion of her free day alone, she learns that a pair of classmates had expected her to spend the day with them, so they had been looking for her as she toured alone. Tomoko thinks about how she drove away a pair of girls by getting overly involved playing a retro video game in an arcade. For her last night, she spends it with another girl who learns quickly how creepy Tomoko can be when she becomes chatty. This is until Tomoko learns she saw her trimming her lady garden, and then Tomoko, embarrassed and horrified that the story will follow her home, decides to do reconnaissance while her friend is showering. This only leads to the other girl wondering why Tomoko has peeked at her, and as neither speaks to the other, the lack of communication sets up a long term tension in the other girl that reappears in shorts and in the longer sports festival story.
The real heart of the manga is not Tomoko’s anxiety. Instead it is the anxiety that other characters feel and respond to after encountering one of Tomoko’s awkward communications. For example, Tomoko peeks at the girl in the shower on the school trip not out of any sensual interest. She hopes the other girl has something as embarrassing as trimming the garden. When the same girl encounters Tomoko going into the restroom at school and eating lunch in the gym, the stable character becomes more confused and anxious as she believes Tomoko is involved in perverted behavior. Tomoko is not the object of ridicule, it is the other person who has a growing insecurity based on her own anxieties and perceptions of the world.
Artwork is clean and purposeful. While Tomoko has limited range of facial expressions, each panel conveys her internal thoughts in her expressions. Even though most panels appear clean, many contain tone changing details. Those with landscapes offer nicely balanced details that set the stage for the dialog and limited action. The paper covers have been printed with the clear film that offers a shiny 8-bit style trophy, medal stand, and a flag to represent the sports day. Even though panels sometimes disappear in the gutter, the book can be read without breaking the spine.
In Summary:
Nico Tanigawa offers a look at adolescent insecurities and the problems we have trying to communicate with each other. None of the characters are matured or can easily find common ground to let the other person know what they are thinking. Tomoko may be the only character with a clinical level of anxiety, but these stories show us how easy it is to misunderstand another person and let our own insecurities affect our lives. Volume 9 offers silly situations that can make the high schooler in all of us hold our breaths.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: A-
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Older Teen
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: November 22nd, 2016
MSRP: $13.00
