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Reviewed by Michael Aronson Fate is unkind to both Keitaro and Naru when they get back the results of their college entrance exams, not to mention the ongoing fallout during which they try to get as far apart from each other as possible . . . to no avail. Don’t get me wrong, I understand what’s going on. The coincidences experienced by Keitaro and Naru are so ridiculously unbelievable, and get even more exaggerated when newcomer Mutsumi enters the fray, that the readers are supposed to laugh at how absurd the coincidences are. But a coincidence is still a coincidence, and no matter how many of them are strung together, it’s still a weakness of the writer for not coming up with something more inspired and clever. And it says something about how much potential of a story has already been squeezed out when a new character has to be introduced in the third volume. Granted, Mutsumi’s a pretty interesting addition to the mix – a sexy female version of bumbling Keitaro – but it still feels like Akamatsu is trying to tell the readers something. I did predict that the formula would quickly wear out, and this is only further evidence. But the plot itself takes a decent turn, as failure in the entrance exams leads the two sexually tense leads on a journey of further embarrassment, during which some weighty confessions finally get spilled. And despite what I said above about coincidences and the lack of craft involved, they succeed on a purely entertaining level, keeping the story and characters interesting enough to continue reading. But it’s all starting to grate a little. Love Hina is still more exciting and kinetic than a lot of other manga out there, but volume three falls short of the standard set by the first volume. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
1 September 2010
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