Jan 9, 2018
Bokura wa Minna Kawai-sou is the kind of manga that will catch a reader's attention in the first few chapters itself. It manages to live up to the expectations of people who have seen the anime adaptation and come to the manga looking for more. It's a Slice of Life so the main plot progresses at its own pace, but you'll never find yourself getting bored of it. There's always something entertaining going on at the Kawai complex.
The story itself isn't something extraordinary. It's a tale of 6 people - 4 adults and 2 students, each having their own eccentric personalities - living in the
...
same housing complex. What makes the manga special is the way the chemistry between the characters works. Their daily interactions make your heart flutter and make you chuckle, also managing to make you laugh out loud at times. The tone of the manga is consistent throughout - you'll often find yourself smiling as you read the chapters - and it's hard to stop reading once you get attached to the characters, which is bound to happen sooner than later.
The romance between the main couple is the driving aspect of the story, and the fact that it gets proper closure is something to look forward to. No one wants to be left hanging when it comes to ships, right? Every character has a role to play, and the way their personalities have been written is what causes the comedy to work very well. They all compliment and play off each other, making it an amusing read.
Being a character-driven story, it's interesting to see how each characters' quirks, habits and back-stories are revealed as the story progresses, adding newer comedic elements for the readers to look forward to. There are several running gags in the manga, like Shiro's masochism, Sayaka's phobias and how her bare-face is always covered in mosaic, Chinatsu's pseudo-sadism, Usa's makeup phobia and Mayumi's hate for innocent, pure romance.
The lead couple - Ritsu and Usa - form an adorable pair. While Usa's character doesn't change all that much, watching Ritsu's character develop and open up to Usa is a heart-fluttering experience which leaves you wanting for more. It happens very naturally and realistically, one of the reasons I consider the romance to be great. There are no accidental panty shots or boob grabs which would cause the characters to blush uncontrollably - no, had that been the case, I wouldn't be here writing this review. It is simple and innocent, without much drama involved. The side characters are like a cherry on top of the cake and their appearances are something to look forward to - they play a major role in furthering the romance.
The art is very clean and appealing. Panels featuring a single character look especially great, since the mangaka goes all out with the details. My favorite panels are the ones featuring Ritsu blushing. The mangaka did an incredible job at making her look enchanting in those panels, and I often found myself coming back to look at particular panels to admire the artwork. (#TopTierWaifuMaterial)
Overall, I think it's a great read. It's oblivious to reality however, so don't go about comparing the manga to your real life since that could possibly send you spiraling into several days of melancholy.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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