manga: High School Debut Vol 8

[meganbmoore]

Though still highly enjoyable, later volumes of this series don’t quite measure up to the giddy energy and enjoyability of the first handful of volumes. Ah well, it happens.

Much like Haruna’s overreaction to being kissed by Yoh, I really didn’t care for the first half of the volume, where the guy who hero worshipped Yoh kissed her and the sunk into spastic guilt and depression. Actually, parts of it were funny, it just went too far, and went on for too long. But it was the conclusion that really bugged me. I guess I can see why it’s funny, but I’m really not big on what seems to be fanservice for the sake of fanservice, especially when it seems to be there to draw in parts of a fanbase that may not be interested otherwise, but with no intention of following up on it. It feels more like baiting to me.

I’m much more fond of the second half, where Yoh almost frets himself into a stroke over Haruna’s birthday. I think it was a bit much that both the coach and the start player at the game they went to shared her birthday, but it worked. And Yoh buying the shoujo manga and reading it in horror reminded me of earlier in the series, where he read all the shoujo Haruna loaned him in one night. Poor Yoh. He both knew and didn’t know what he was letting himself in for when he started dating Haruna.

 

Comments

[estara.livejournal.com]

The overreaction to the kiss WAS over the top but I enjoyed it for the faces and slapstick and I truly didn't see coming what Yoh would do to ensure that Haruna would snap out of her depression (and his comment afterwards that he know knew how horrible it had felt to her ^^). Although it was only a one-trick-pony story at that... I think the better stuff picks up in Volume 9 onwards again, although it's never as new as the first volumes because we now know the cast so much better.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I hope you're right about it picking back up in Vol 9.

[estara.livejournal.com]

For me it did ^^ *read ahead in scanlations*

[vivacious-dan.livejournal.com]

I think Volume 9 comes out here in May.

*impatiently waiting*

[vivacious-dan.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed this volume a lot but I also enjoyed the second half better. I really loved the end with the roses, cake, etc. and then Haruna getting emotional. I think Haruna overreacts sometimes but I think it's sort of in line with how over the top her personality is when it comes to certain things (first kiss, feeling like she is being disloyal to Yoh, etc.). Even when Koukou Debut slightly missteps, it is still enjoyable which is what makes it a cut above the rest of the manga I've read/read.

[vivacious-dan.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I laughed out loud when Yoh kissed that freshman. I don't know, I thought it was hilarious, especially seeing everyone's faces in the background of the panel.

[estara.livejournal.com]

Same here ^^

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I don't mind Haruna's overreactions, though I do think they sometimes last a bit too long.