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Reviewed by Park Cooper Now, THIS is a harem manga. And yet, there’s nothing very special about Strawberry 100%. It’s just done well. I caught myself chuckling a few times as I read it, for example when the guy’s cute girlfriend (how can a guy have an actual girlfriend in a harem manga? Wait for it...) comes to visit his school festival, and his pal gives him a swift kick. “Hurry up and go show her around!” “Owww! Why’d you kick me?!” “Think of it as a gesture from all the lonely boys in the world!” Amusing. Our hero wants to be a filmmaker, and he’s worked his friends up into the school’s filmmaking club. We don’t waste much time being distracted by what he’s making--we have all the drama we need without getting into that sort of fiction-within-a-fiction game (thank goodness). There’s the shy writer girl who’s interested in our hero, there’s the sassy hot girl who likes him too, then there’s his girlfriend--who went to a different high school than him, and that absence is making everyone’s heart grow fonder for everyone else aforementioned--and when he’s less ready than she is to take their relationship to the next level, she decides to break up with him. But what’s this? His best friend from childhood, the tomboy girl from next door who moved away 5 years ago, is back--and she’ll probably be going to his (ex)girlfriend’s high school! Or will it be HIS high school? While she makes up her mind what high school to go to, his parents have given her permission to stay with them! In HIS room! While HE sleeps on the floor! The key element here is not that he’s sleeping on the floor, but that they’re in the same room... Did I mention that she has a tendency to get undressed in her sleep? And how long do you think it’ll be before his former girlfriend gets tempted to stick her nose back into things? It’s shy vs. sassy vs. old flame vs. tomboy, and yet these four girls are not maneuvering for position over the hottest boy in school, but just a well-meaning schlub. Forget Record of Lodoss War and Those Who Hunt Elves. THIS is fantasy. It’s not The Brothers Karamazov, but Strawberry 100% does exactly what you want it to do--be an amusing harem manga that actually manages to be touching while juggling all its characters, 3 out of 4 of whom are quite fan-service (but never quite in a “oh you’re kidding me” way like Puri Puri, say). The art’s also so good (almost Death Note/Hikaru No Go level) that it’s not same-y-- I can generally tell the difference between all four girls without particular difficulty. It could be better, sure, but I say it’s nonetheless earned its A. 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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