slice of life

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Lenni Reviews: “Komi Can’t Communicate” Vol. 20, by Tomohito Oda

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Komi’s, Tadano, and their friends go on a skiing trip but unforeseen events, Tadano and Manbagi get left behind at a rest stop and have no place to stay. They end up at a hotel with only one bed available. There is also a story to parallel this where Komi’s parents as teenagers go on a ski trip.

Although the premise implies a bunch of awkward romantic shenanigans, this volume keeps it’s lighthearted, almost too pure for this world tone. It may not be believable for everyone to be so nice all the time but it works so well here and I’d like it to stay that way. I don’t want this series to end up drowning in too much angst. It’s like a precious innocent that needs to be protected. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Love in Focus Complete Collection” by Yoko Nogiri

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Mako loves photography so much, her childhood friend, Kei, suggests she takes a chance on attending a high school with a prestigious photography club. She ends up moving into a dorm with Kei and his classmates; kicking off a love triangle.

This is a cute manga that is worth checking out if you like young adult romance manga. Mako is a sweet character to follow; she’s just earnest and wants to enjoy photography and the other boys around her have different enough personalities that you really wonder who Mako should end up with. I won’t spoil it but, I found it to be a satisfying choice and ending. There’s some slice of life elements as well to break things up and while a tad rushed, it was fun to read and you could polish it off in a quiet afternoon. 3.9 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Cat + Gamer” Volume 1, by Wataru Nadatani

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Riko Kozakura doesn’t socialize with anyone at work, preferring to take care of her duties and go straight home to game. When a security guard at the office finds a stray kitten, she is compelled to take him home. But she doesn’t know anything about cats so she must level up her pet owner skills.

This is another cute cat slice of life manga with the hook of a gamer for an owner. It’s unique that Riko sees learning about her new friend as leveling up a character like in her RPGs. She clearly cares for him so it’s not her brain disconnecting to her gamer space, it’s leveraging her interests to focus her energy. Just adorable. 4.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “I Want to be a Wall” Vol. 1, by Honami Shirono

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Yuriko and Gakurota appear to be like any other newlywed couple but behind the scenes, Yuriko is asexual who loves yaoi and Gakurota is gay; hiding his unrequited love for his childhood friend who also  happens to be the gardener for the house they live in.

Other than Gakurota’s feelings, this is pretty low angst and more slice of life. Yuriko still tries to be a good wife, and Gakurota tries to be a good husband despite them not being in love at all. You don’t see many asexual characters around and Yuriko is funny and likable. They both settle in to life together, attempting to share interests and be a “normal” couple. I wonder how this will play out in future volumes; if it will stay as breezy as it is now or take a darker turn. But I want to read more! 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible” Vol 1, by Nene Yukimori

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Nobody notices Shirashi unless they physically interact with him. He is frequently marked absent, skipped for handouts, sat on, and have random things put on his desk. He seems resigned to it and doesn’t let it bother him but his classmate, Kubo, goes out of her way to interact with him whenever she can and seems to be the only one who never thinks he’s invisible.

This is a cute and positive story. Shirashi isn’t angsty about his predicament, just going with the flow and Kubo’s intentions aren’t cruel. For a second I thought she’d end up being a tsundere who pushes Shirashi around but she gently nudges him out of hiding and is good natured about it. This is a light, fun read with some cutesy comedic elements. I recommend it if that’s what you’re looking for. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Hello, Melancholic!” Vol. 1, by Yayoi Ohsawa

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First year, Minato, is very reserved and self conscious because of her height; towering over the other girls in her class. When upperclassman Hibiki catches sight of Minato with her trombone case, Hibiki is dragged out of her comfort zone when Hibiki insists Minato join the music club and play in her band.

Minato is a very relatable teenager, nervous about tripping up and finally making some friends that won’t mock her for her height. The contrast between her and Hibiki has some classic tropey elements but their individual personalities keep things unique and interesting. They’re a classic odd couple but it’s done well and they’re so sweet together. Even the tertiary characters are entertaining. I think teens looking for more LGBTQ+ content will love this. 4.8 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Komi Can’t Communicate” Vol. 19, by Tomohito Oda

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

In order to help Komi reach her goal of making 100 friends, Najimi holds a ‘singles meet’ of other girls at the school to get them talking to Komi and add them to her growing circle.

It’s nice to see Komi’s friend group expand further. The series seemed to forget that was the goal for a minute but this volume has Komi reaching out to other kids in hopes of making a connection. There’s a wide range of personalities here and not all of them are likable but Komi does her best. And we get more of Tadano and how he sees everyone around him. I didn’t think I’d enjoy that part, but it was pretty cool! 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “I Am a Cat Barista” Vol. 2, by Hiro Maijima

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This volume is more tales of Hachi and his café as he helps people with what ails them. This time, we meet a new character, Tama; an anthropomorphic dog who is a friend and comes to work with Hachi. While they dole out advice and comfort to their customers, Hachi shares his backstory and how he came to own a café in the first place.

This is a quick read and very touching. Someone was definitely cutting onions around me while I was reading because I’ll admit, I got teary-eyed. This is a series where everything is dreamlike and kind, leaving you feeling pleasantly at ease. I know this won’t be the type to have many volumes since there’s only so long you can keep this interesting, but I plan to enjoy it while it lasts. 5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “A Man and His Cat” Vol. 1, by Umi Sakurai

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

A cat languishing in a pet shop resigns himself to never getting adopted due to many people coming to look at him and making cruel comments. But then an older gentleman comes in and immediately pics him to take to his forever home.

This manga is so sweet. Maybe I have a soft spot for touching animal stories but this is a perfect cozy read if you like cute animals and slice of life manga. Mr. Moriyama is a nice guy who dotes on Fukumaru; who is just a squishy sweetheart and they have the best interactions. Very heartwarming and perfect if you are in the mood to say “AWWWWWWWW!!” repeatedly. 5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Komi Can’t Communicate” Vol. 18, by Tomohito Oda

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After some more short stories from the Cultural Festival, Komi and Manbagi are still civil while both wanting to date Tadano. So, they try to impress him during a group outing to karaoke.

This volume feels like too many different quickies and left me with a choppy experience. The art and writing are still on point, the situations are relatable and cute, but man, it felt so scattered. I’d like more of a cohesive story even though I still love this series. the usual pacing of one longer story and several smaller once is so much better. Still great, though! 4 out of 5.

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