Tenshi Ja Nai!! (I'm No Angel) Volume 7 (Tenshi Ja Nai (I'm No Angel) (Graphic Novels))

Tenshi Ja Nai!! (I'm No Angel) Volume 7 (Tenshi Ja Nai (I'm No Angel) (Graphic Novels)) | Takako Shigematsu | flipside of Hana Kimi

books:

Tenshi Ja Nai!! (I...

	Tenshi Ja Nai!! (I'm No Angel) Volume 7 (Tenshi Ja Nai (I'm No Angel) (Graphic Novels)) Takako Shigematsu Go!Comi, 2007 - 200 pages average customer review:based on 2 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

Changes abound at Seika Academy this year... including new dorm arrangements! They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but will this hold true for Izumi and Hikaru - especially when Ayase and Ukyo drop in for a surprise visit? Izumi's worried that Hikaru's feelings for her beloved sensei will rekindle, but poor Hikaru has other things on her mind! She's just been forced into competing in a pop star contest, and is chosen to act out a scene with Izumi - cast in the part of a desperate lover!

Finally, the story is getting interesting again!

Warning: SPOILER ALERT; I am going to give a scatter-brained synopsis of the whole series up to and including volume 7.

I read the first book with high hopes of a funny romantic comedy. I wanted some light little shojo story that I wouldn't have to take too seriously. I really liked the first volume. It laid the foundation of the story; gave me surprisingly detailed background info on the main characters - but it wasn't that funny. In fact, it got pretty dark towards the end. But still, I wanted to give this series a chance. Even if it didn't turn out to be the Julia Roberts a la "Pretty Woman" type romp I had expected.

Volume 2 introduced the teacher-student love affair that gave me high hopes for the future. And the manga-ka milked the build-up of that storyline for everything that it was worth; not allowing Hikaru and Ayase-sensei to confess their feelings for each other until volume 3 (well, technically, Ayase didn't really confess his feelings until the beginning of volume 4). I didn't really care for that robbery storyline. I guess it was just a means for Ayase-sensei to find out Hikaru's feelings and to make the reader believe he doesn't feel the same way. In addition, it gave Izumi an opportunity to dress in drag (he wears girl's clothing so often; wearing men's clothing seems like cross-dressing to me) and be spotted and Hikaru has to cover up his identity - twice. Umm, I know Izumi is a guy; but why does he seem to have super-human strength? Plus, at the end of volume 3 it seems Izumi is going to be more aggressive about his feelings for Hikaru and, now, we have a full-fledged romantic triangle in the making (Ta-da!!!).

But the contrived way Ayase was ushered out of the story in volume 5 really irked me! Why waste the readers time and build-up my fragile hopes if you are going to crush them soo quickly?!! The little bits with Kurobe are always a welcome comic relief but, for the most part, volume 5 was a stinker for me. Kurobe overhears a conversation between Hikaru and Izumi and realizes Izumi is a man. Once again, they scramble to cover up Izumi's true identity and the high jinks ensue (blah-blah-blah...). I will mention that I liked getting to know Chisato a little better in this volume. I wonder about her feelings for Hikaru (Didn't Hikaru already reject her; is this turning into a Yuri manga?)

That brings us up to volume 6. Hikaru is now in love with whom?!!! Oh, how fickle the heart of a teenager girl... Whatever! I don't really care anymore. I know I read this whole volume but I've already forgotten most of it. But I'm pretty sure it went something like Hikaru just now realizes her feelings for our gender-confused main character who has been in love with her for ages. Hikaru's cross-dressing main squeeze is, once again, spotted in drag (meaning in men's clothing) and they have to rush to hide his identity. Kurobe and Habashi cause some little mischief that wasn't very interesting. Chisato secretly pines away for Hikaru (this IS turning into a Yuri story) and, FINALLY, Izumi and Hikaru confess their feelings for each other. I say "finally" but wasn't Hikaru in love with Ayase like one volume ago?

What appealed to me about volume 7 is that I received some well-deserved closure on the Hikaru-Ayase love affair. It bothered me that she could so quickly forget her love for Ayase and start seeing Izumi. I know one could argue that she probably always cared for Izumi to some extent but who cares about that crap?! Ayase was her first real love! Now, I don't see her as being fickle but more like she was being practical. She realized that Ayase would never be hers and she could either stay heart-broken or move on. She chose to move on and I'm okay with that. And I still really like Chisato. She is just such a likeable character. I can't stand the thought that she is going to get her heart shattered by Hikaru (but what can you do; this isn't a Yuri manga).

for more information click here

flipside of Hana Kimi

I enjoyed this series. Bishounen dressed as girl attending an all girls school and falling for his roommate. There could have been a little more development of the story line for me. Once it gets to the final book it's almost as if the writer just decided to stop writing. It does end well for Izumi and you get to see him as a young man(enough of a reason to read the series for me)
Anyway, if you like Hana Kimi, this is probably one that you should add to your collection.

products you might be interested in