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Reviewed by David Rasmussen Ah, love. According to this VIZ one-shot, "When you're in love, life feels like it's multiplied Times Two (x2)"… I wouldn't know anything about that since I'm not that kind of reviewer (who is). But one thing I do love is a good romantic comedy, or a good romance with humor… which is a romantic comedy. Or a good sho(u)jo. I like that too… yeah, I don't know why VIZ continuously drops the "u" in Shoujo. Go figure. A gathering of five short stories of the first blooms of high school romance, Times Two (x2) takes the look into the first confusions, joyous rushes of romance-fueled adrenaline, and the feeling of falling in love with someone new... someone new? Drawn, written, and overall presented as if the creator of this title had an uncomfortable obsession with well-known series Kare Kano (only without the quirks and sparks that made that title a fan favorite), the volume explores five aspects of love... only it does it by trying to tug at your heart strings without really drawing you into the stories or the characters). In "Love at First Touch" it's Field Day (if in doubt, refer to series like Azumanga Daioh, Cardcaptor Sakura or similar series that show off Field Day (aka the Sports Festival in Azumanga Daioh's English dub), and Eri can't figure out what draws her to Kohei. That's fine, as I can't figure out what draws me to Eri, let alone her conflict with her emotions to Kohei. Expiration Date 2001 : Miwa's secret crush Kenta gives her a soda, and she decides that the date on the bottom of the can must be symbolic of something. In "Second Impression" delinquent Naoki turns out to be a attentive (Constant?) Gardener... wait, isn't that a reference to spies or something (like in that movie title "The Constant Gardener")? Somehow gardening is the link to love in this one. Go figure. Frequency: Not having anything to do with communicating over years via a old radio system, loudmouth Kaori gains the ability to tap into the thoughts of model student Morihiro… wait, shouldn't this have been entitled "What Morihiro Wants"? And finally Baby Universe... no, not talking pregnant high schoolers here... My problem with this title, and it's a big one, is that sho(u)jo love just doesn't fit in such a short format. With only so much pages to get to know the characters the creator really has to snag you on each stories' characters at first impression (and hold onto you past that with such a short set of pages per story). The stories are forgettable, and while they try to snag you on the shoujo content (and the characters and their love foibles) it just isn't long enough (or to be more precise the creator is not trying hard enough to grab you one scene one word one and hold onto you as tight as possible for each story). I wanted to love this one (pun intended) but it didn't really grab me as a great read. For short little bursts of romantic bliss it's something you'd cart on a flight somewhere for short reads on the flight... but not much else. Sorry, it's a romance story that isn't making me feel romantic for it. C-. Think you could have written a better review of Times 2 (X2) One Shot? Write us and we'll probably let you give it a shot! --EiC PC |
12 March 2010 10 March 2010
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