Girls trying to help society in some way, but each failing in their own unique way…which lands them in some funny situations. That pretty much sums up the manga that I got today. I don’t really like Clamp that much, but I have to say the picture above of Kobato featured in Newtype USA is pretty nice and got me interested in Kobato…and that’s where we start.
Kobato is about a little girl who goes around helping people who are hurt physically and emotionally and putting all that into a magic bottle. Once she does that she gets a wish to go to “a certain place that she really want’s to visit”. Doesn’t sound like much, and the first short installment doesn’t really go anywhere since Kobato is trying to prove worthy of the task to a little dog named Loryogi, who looks like a demented looking snoopy.
You can read the results of Kobato’s test from Loryogi’s expression….
The story basically entailed Kobato showing Loryogi that she can pass off as someone normal. One of the tests occurs at a park and I found that bit to be the funniest out of them all. Loryogi’s and his expressions are great. I like it that he calls Kobato, D’oh-bato.
For a 12 page manga insert, it was okay. The art is very simple compared to that of other Clamp efforts and the story doesn’t seem too interesting at this point. I think it will get better once Kobato goes around helping people and the story gets a bump up from simple to something more tangible…at least Kobato seems to think so.
Yotsuba is a very energetic, curious, and slow-witted(trying to be nice here) girl who moves into a new neighborhood with her father. Within the first few chapters she meets her neighbors and gets into all kinds of trouble. It’s pretty funny and for those who know Azuma’s previous work in Azumanga Daioh, the comedy is right up there with it…which is a good thing.
Ena’s Global Warming teachings backfire…
Yotsuba was just plain fun to read, and even though it was over 200 pages, it seemed too short. There’s plenty of characters introduced from the three sisters who live next door; Asagi-the pretty one, Fuka-”the un-pretty one”, Ena-the youngest; to Jumbo who’s nearly a giant! But they all play second fiddle to little Yotsuba and her over curious nature. This one’s a keeper!
Yotsuba Exploring Ice Cream!! Waking Up at Home
Welcome to the NHK #2 finds our favorite hikikomori, Sato Tatsuhiro, on a date with the kawaii Misaki-chan and an unexpected trip with his senpai(who graces the cover above) to a private island…love is in the air! Or is it.
Misaki awaits the kiss of Sato…well maybe not.
The story starts out with Sato and Misaki pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend for Satou’s visiting mother who deduces that there may not be a relationship there at all, but instead coaxes Misaki and Satou on a real date hoping they would get together. As you can see above, not everything worked out too well. And well made matter’s worse for poor Satou-kun…
The Hikikomori Lifestyle starring Sato Tatsuhiro
But not to fear Sato’s old senpai visits out of the blue and before you know it Sato and Senpai are on a private island all to themselves…well except for three other creepy guys. This may not be Sato’s dream vacation after all. This volume of NHK was pretty good in showing the relationship development between Sato and Misaki as well as show some background for Senpai and Yamazaki.
Having already watched the anime, it was very interesting to see how the manga and anime compare up to their respective material. The manga has really explicit material with Misaki(It’s all in the head of Satou…they haven’t reached that far into the relationship!), and negates or changes the way characters are introduced or not introduced(Senpai’s husband is not seen)!
It will be interesting to see how the manga continues since the anime ended well before the manga did…which by the way is still running in Japan.
Sato’s Lucky Day Sato’s Date Sato’s Senpai
Posted in Kobato, Manga, Welcome to the NHK, Yotsuba
