Review: Behind the Scenes!!
Funny enough, I’ve had the first 5 of this series for awhile and then I really dragged my feet purchasing the last two because I didn’t want the magic to end. Since part of my New Year’s resolution is dedicated reading time I figured I should read through the series once again, now in it’s entirety.
I truly loved the series and there were several moments (especially the aliens made me do it scene with Goda and Ruka in the end of volume 6) were my heart was beating so fast with excited love that I had to drop my book down to my chest and basically flail it to run off the energy that built up. You know, classic shoujo. This is another expertly handled ensemble cast that, from Bisco’s author notes, you can tell she struggled starting because she wanted a departure from Ouran. I will readily admit that at first glance there are so many sound effects and things happening and eccentric character dialogue that it really feels like I’m Haruhi and I’ve accidentally stumbled into the Host Club for the first time and am rightfully having a panic attack, but by volume 3 when Bisco starts taking time to do individual character development chapters you really get hooked and it really sets the series apart. Even just through these 7 volumes you can see that her artistic skills are still improving and I am gaga for her style. I was so invested in Izumi’s amnesia and the moment he realizes that the imposter syndrome he’s been feeling is false because he was always a spacy person was so heartwrenchingly beautiful. It was so refreshing that Ranmaru’s crush on Ruka wasn’t reciprocated and instead he helped Ruka and Goda move forward to act on their true desires. Even though the pivot was intense, I was right there rooting for Ranmaru when he turned pure hell on Goda to get him to direct a movie, because it felt like a great place for his character to go. Ranmaru still has those moments where he doubts himself and goes full spiral, but he’s grown to know where he can push and ‘evolve’ (which should really be the story’s tagline).
That being said, all this beauty is completely destroyed for me when Soh and Ranmaru end up together. It’s such a shame to let such a small thing get me down, but I just can’t condone first cousins having a romantic relationship. Even if I were able to look past the incest, there are a million more layers where their relationship doesn’t make sense. They spend the majority of the manga as kindred spirits, loving people who they believe have the strength they lack. Both Soh and Ranmaru encourage each other in their romantic endeavors and go out of their way to help each other succeed. They even find that both their desired partners aren’t what they seem and it helps them grow as characters, but they also learn to help boost the one’s they love to strive for greatness too. Why would all this time helping each other improve end in romantic feelings for one another? If that’s the case, then Ranmaru should have fallen for Goda because he spends the most time helping him reach his true potential as amends for saving him from his own ‘stuck’ feelings. Also, Soh and Ranmaru have the same personality. They both have, many times over the course of the series, caused each other to spiral into doom that other people had to step in to stop. Regardless of how much both had grown, they still have that affect on one another and I can’t see that stopping if they are together romantically, in fact, one can easily surmise that it would get worse if they were alone together. The whole relationship feels as though it would immediately stagnate their growth and that doesn’t feel good. It just felt like a cheap way to cleanly give the main character a love interest when the one he pursued the whole manga ends up with someone else. It leaves a taste in my mouth so bad that it sours the otherwise good meal.
Verdict:
