Tomohito Oda

*A thank you to NetGalley, Tomohito Oda, and VIZ Media for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest and unbiased review*

Hello Fellow Readers,

So, I'm socially awkward (but an extrovert, I like social situations I just have trouble interpreting social situations and contexts. Sometimes when I finish a conversation I can make myself anxious wondering if I interpreted the situation correctly) so when I read the summary for this I KNEW I needed to read it.

First of all, let me say I don't want to give too much away because I believe if you love graphic novels or mangas, you should read this. Anyway, Komi is super cute and relatable. I love how the author shows both Komi's perspective and how people see Komi. It made me realize that what you think is going on made not be what is actually happening or being thought. It was very great and refreshing. There is also Tadano, who is so perceptive and kind! He genuinely tries to help Komi makes friends and helps her whenever he can which I love.

The other characters are all the typically weird Manga types, yet are their own in a weird way. There are not many considering this is only vol. 1, and I expect as Komi continues to try to achieve her goal of 100 friends you will see more so I can't wait to see what characters appear.

Overall, I will continue to read this Graphic Novel and will now search for Vol. 2 because I just love Komi and her friends.… (més)

There is some cute relationship stuff between Komi and Tadano, but the giant supporting cast is a growing liability, drawing attention and time from the central couple for dumb gags with people who don't even get named and thus become "oh, yeah, that big guy," "those three girls who did something one time maybe," or "that one girl who, um, sweats?" in my head. I counted 33 characters altogether this time, and I know I missed upwards of a dozen who just fade into the background.

If this series isn't about to end, then it needs to let go of the 100 friends goal or jump to it ASAP so we can zero in on the most interesting members of the cast instead of all these nobodies.… (més)

It's the start of senior year for Komi and Tadano, which means meeting a whole classroom full of new characters and then veering into a school-wide dart-gun battle that fills the rest of the volume with, y'know, shenanigans.

This is a fine entry in the series as far as entertainment goes, but it does drive home that the series feels like it has already reached its conclusion in the last few volumes and now we just have a very long epilogue as Komi finishes reaching that arbitrary goal of 100 friends. It was supposed to be the hook of the series, but now it feels like the biggest liability, dragging us along for no good reason and causing yet more one-dimensional characters to pop up on the pages.

We reached the peak, and I worry that we can only go downhill from here. But, yup, there are five more volumes already published in Japan. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. One more year of all the same holiday tropes, then graduation, time jump, and marriage??? I hope that is not the weak sauce the author has in mind.… (més)