Sora Sora by Youko Maki

Really busy this week, even busier next week! Considering how my jury duty goes, I may not find the time to read any manga that's too involved in the weeks to come. Some prior planning could probably help, but where's the fun in that? Well, I'm only doing this for personal enjoyment anyhow so I know I'll get around to it, because manga is a drug I can't kick.

Sora Sora by Youko Maki

Art and story (c) Youko Maki

Genre: Shojo
Length: One Volume – 5 Chapters


            This shojo has art that is pretty typical of it's time (early 2000's) but it is very well done, and I think there is enough style thrown in to appease. The eyes are the huge kind, just a glance and you know exactly what kind of art style I mean, I'm sure, but they have a lot of detail and life. The hair is also typical styles of the era, but they have good

movement definition. Likewise, the clothing has good detail, just the messiness of the main couple's uniforms shows their character right away, even if the uniforms themselves are generic. If you don't mind the style anyway, its a good example of it, and there isn't anything to really put you off.
          Sorako and Sorao are the Sora-Sora pair that are always causing trouble in class together, and by all appearances are best friends. Sorako actually likes Sorao but just being with him seems like enough for her, until a meddling girl takes an interest in Sorao and will stop at nothing to discredit Sorako and make Sorao hers. Can Sorako deal with such a girl taking her best friend?
           I'll admit it first thing, this is a rather stereotypical set up for a romance manga, girl likes boy but values their friendship too much to say anything until someone tries to take him away, but there is an interesting twist to this in that [SPOILER ALERT] in the end there is no tearful confession where the heroine spills her feelings. [STILL SPOILING] The main man isn't a total idiot, either, who never recognized her feelings the whole time and their getting together moment comes with the feeling that they don't have to change anything to be a couple. [SPOILERS OVER] So, despite sounding super generic, there is a lot going for this one volume manga, and its worth the time to read it. The couple are lots of fun to watch and the resolution is satisfying. Sorako is very spunky and her quick temper against the cutesy rival is gratifying. The male lead is a bit plain, as he's just the tag along, but he has some character traits not often seen in this type of story. Though, he does come off a little mean at times. It rides the line of cliché vs. fluffy romance and it comes up on the fun side. All these years of reading manga, you'd think a person would get tired of these quickie shojo stories about throw away characters, but, nope, I still enjoyed this quite a lot.




5/5 A good example of a one volume shojo. 

It's not nice to side punch a lady.