Kimi ni Todoke Vol.3 by Karuho Shiina: review

Kimi ni Todoke Vol.3 by Karuho Shiina

Series: Kimi ni Todoke #3

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Genre: Shojo, Slice-Of-Life, Romance

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC

Release Date: February 2nd 2010

Synopsis: (from Goodreads) Will the curse of Sadako leave her friendless for life? R to L (Japanese Style). Sadako’s dreams come true when she finally becomes friends with her classmates, instead of scaring them off. She even gets friendly with the cutest girl in school, Kurumi. But will this innocent friendship with Kurumi make Sadako realize that her feelings for Kazehaya are more than just friendly? Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine…for a horror movie. With her jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor, she’s often mistaken for Sadako, the haunting movie character. Unbeknownst to but a few, behind her scary faÇade is a very misunderstood teenager. Shy and pure of heart, she just wants to make friends. But when Kazehaya, the most popular boy in class, befriends her, she’s sure to make more than just that—she’s about to make some enemies too!

My Thoughts:

Volume three is another great addition to a great series! Kimi ni Todoke is starting to become my favorite shojo manga series, and for some good reasons. It’s fun, meaningful, and shows what it’s like to develop friendships with the people around you. It also doesn’t hurt that Sawako is absolutely adorable… Even though she does have some really, really scary faces.

But seriously… Sawako is adorable 90% of the time. 😛

This volume focuses more on Sawako’s developing feelings toward Kazehaya and if Kazehaya feels the same way. It is pretty obvious that they both like each other, but they are just to shy and afraid to take that next step. Sawako isn’t to bothered by this since she is just happy to have friends. That is, until Sawako creates a friendship with a girl called Kurumi who is pretty, popular, nice to all, and just happens to have a seemingly good relationship with Kazehaya.

Sawako is happy and flattered that Kurumi decided to become friends with her, but this new friendship causes her to doubt her relationship is Kazehaya since she notices that she can’t initiate the easy conversations with Kazehaya that Kurumi is able to do.

Now this might seem like a story that is used a lot in shojo manga, but the mangaka executes in such a refreshing way that I never got bored! I didn’t even roll my eyes when Kurumi showed some hints of becoming the “mean girl” that is oh so common in the shojo genre.

Shiina is amazing at showing Sawako’s feelings about what is happening and I love the fact that this mangaka seems to know what she’s doing when it comes to developing relationships-even if it means that there must be the awkward, not-very-desirable phase that is very common when two people want to become more than friends.

And let us not forget the ultra witty dialogue that this volume contains. I giggled many times during reading this and I am sure you will, too. Unless I have a very bad sense of humor, but whatever.

I would have never guessed how the volume ended. It is impressive and it made me very excited for my next trip to the bookstore to see what happens next. It will be a long time until I tire of this series–if i even do tire of it.