“I wonder why I thought the only one who would be lonely is the person who leaves, even though the people left behind would surely feel the same.”
Creative Staff:
Story: Wataru Watari
Art: Ponkan8
Translation: Jennifer Ward
What They Say:
When a loner starts making connections, something’s gotta give…
As summer break winds down, Hachiman expects the last few days to be relatively uneventful… until Yui suddenly stops by his house with a request and Totsuka invites him to hang out. Not only that, but he somehow finds himself at a fireworks festival with Yui—and Yukino’s sister. Whether Hachiman likes it or not, his relationships with Yui and Yukino are changing, and even this stubborn loner can’t ignore it forever.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Short story collections are always pretty hit or miss. More often than not, a mixed bag of stories leads to a mixed bag of quality. But at least in the case of My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong, as I Expected volume 5, it benefits from the common theme of main character and everyone’s favorite introvert Hachiman going on unexpected hangouts with classmates he runs into over summer break.
The majority of the chapters cover a simple interaction Hachiman has with someone in his life. Whether it be fellow Service Club member Yui, distant acquaintance Kawasaki, reluctant love interest Totsuka, or teacher Hiratsuka, Hachiman ends up through some twist of fate having to spend the afternoon with them. It would be so easy to nitpick at the fact that an introvert is able to have an oddly productive summer with people he barely cares about, but author Wataru Watari is fully aware of this and pokes fun at the situation himself constantly. Now five volumes into the series, it’s clear that Hachiman himself is becoming a bit more open-minded when it comes to spending time with people, and this volume does a particularly good job of getting that point across.
Most of his interactions are on the light side to the point that they’re forgettable (I already forget what the chapters with Kawasakii and Totsuka were like), but there are an equal amount of memorable chapters as well. Of note are the ones with his sister Komachi and his teacher Miss Hiratsuka. We get little to no news when it comes to the Hikigaya household in general, so it’s always a treat to see Hachiman willingly hang out with his younger sister. The fact that he’s an older brother on top of an introvert gives him a certain added level of reluctant responsibility that makes him that much more interesting as a character. And his ability to reach some oddly thoughtful musings carries a lot more weight than you’d expect from something like a single-chapter story. Likewise, Hachiman’s unlikely run-in with Miss Hiratsuka allows us to see Hachiman in another unique light. Being the one authority figure Hachiman has some ounce of respect for, it’s always a treat to see the two of them interact in that while Hachiman does hold himself back knowing that he’s speaking to a teacher, Hiratsuka does the exact opposite and addresses him more like an equal. It’s not the sneakiest way to cram in some early adulthood melancholy into the series, but it’s effective and fun to read through Hiratsuka’s ramblings regardless.
I only wish I could say the same for the volume’s overall story. Beginning and ending with Hachiman spending some time with Yui, we’re able to see the two as a couple without the added drama of Yukino in the way (amazingly enough, she only enters the volume briefly near the end). The problem with this, however, is the narrative itself ends up focusing on Yukino anyway. Going on a non-date to see the fireworks, Hachiman and Yui end up crossing paths with Yukono’s older sister Haruno. She ends up having an obnoxiously commanding presence over the younger characters, to the point that her speaking to the two goes as far as shifts the context of the earlier chapters. She’s able to instill some doubt to Hachiman’s own actions, resulting in more of a bittersweet ending than you would expect. It’s clear at this point Haruno is the closest we’ll get to a “villain” from the series, but I just wish it was done separate from this short-story collection.
In Summary:
My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong, as I Expected volume 5 is a pleasant collection of vignettes that unknowingly leads to a rather bittersweet ending. While the majority of chapters can be enjoyed on their own, their meaning has a significantly different context by the volume’s end, which I’m sure will leave some readers with a bad taste in their mouth. Regardless, it’s a satisfactory, light snack that offers a break from your standard novel-length stories of Hachiman and co.
Content Grade: C+/B-
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Yen On
Release Date: May 22, 2018
MSRP: $14.00
