Review: Kusunoki's Flunking Her High School Glow-Up

A funny romantic comedy about two high school nerds who went to a new school where they both had their “glow-up” debut. 

When Shizuki was rejected by his heartthrob, he was not only left with a broken heart, but also became pretty-girl-phobic on top of it. He decides to opt for a fresh start: new school, new looks, new friends and a healthy portion of confidence as the icing on the cake. Shizuki selects a school where no one knows his secret former self, allowing him to start anew as a blank canvas. To avoid any incidents and not trigger his phobia, he strictly avoids having eye contact with all the popular girls… until one day, when the prettiest and most sought-after girl in school asks him for help!

The cute blonde turns out to be his dreadfully nerdy and totally unpopular former library “companion” with whom he never spoke a word. Not much has changed at least in that respect; fellow ex-outcast Kusunoki is still as shy and socially awkward as she used to be and only managed to upgrade her appearance, not her social skills – when it comes to looks she definitely reached max level. Unable to speak to her peers, she’s not able to put her looks to good use and begs none other than the seemingly confident Shizuki for help. 

Shizuki however, wants to decline instantly. Not only does the cute Kusunoki challenge his deepest fears, but she also knows what an unpopular boy he used to be and could threaten his newly accomplished status. But due to Kusunoki’s clumsy cute demeanour, Shizuki gets roped into helping her overcome her social anxiety. From now on Shizuki has to navigate both his phobia and the extra level of attention he receives as he spends a lot of time with the school’s most popular girl…

My Reading Experience

I had a great time reading Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up. It’s funny, cute and features clumsy nerds who try to become popular kids – ever since I read Wotakoi, Love Is Hard For Otaku, “nerds trying to be normies” has become one of my favourite tropes. Apart from that, I also loved the art style. The drawings are pretty and the character’s emotions are nicely developed. A bit over the top, yes, but that makes it extra fun in my opinion. 

Who Would Enjoy This Manga?

Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up is great for readers who enjoy a cute and funny rom-com with pretty artwork. Otakus and nerds who like the genre will be able to empathise with the former-ducklings-now-turned-swans and might enjoy it even more – at least I do, hehe! If you love Wotakoi, Love Is Hard For Otaku or Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, you will definitely have a great time with this manga. 

Rating

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐

Story: ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐

Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Big thanks to Kodansha Comics for providing me with this digital review copy!

Details

Title: Kusunoki's Flunking Her High School Glow-Up 1

Author: Mitsuki Mii

Published: 20th of August, 2024

Genre: Rom-com

Big thanks to Kodansha Comics for providing me with this digital review copy!

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Review: Suzume (Manga)

Suzume by Makoto Shinkai

Synopsis

The manga Suzume is an adaptation of Makoto Shinkai's film Suzume no Tojimari, which was a big hit in Japan.The story centres on Suzume Iwato, a 17-year-old girl who encounters a mysterious stranger called Souta Munakata on her way to school. He asks her if there are any abandoned premises nearby and she points him to a building complex which was destroyed by an earthquake years before. When she tells her classmates about it at school, she realises how dangerous it is to wander this restricted area. 

Driven by worry and guilt, Suzume sets off to find the young man and warn him. When she arrives at the site, she discovers a strange door and opens it. It appears to lead to another world, but Suzume cannot enter. By opening the door, she unknowingly unleashes a force that could bring disaster to her home country and also activates its cat shaped keystone, which comes to life and vanishes. Souta arrives at the site and together they manage to close the door. 

However, since the keystone turned into a cat and disappeared, the colossal, supernatural worm who roams the other world is bound no longer and threatens to wreak havoc across Japan. Suzume then joins forces with Souta, who seals these dangerous doors. On a journey to prevent destruction, Suzume also confronts her own past and feelings of loss. 

Inspired by the great earthquakes that shook Japan several years ago, Makoto Shinkai , the author of Your Name and Weathering With You, tells an emotional dystopian story that lured me in from the very beginning. 

My Reading Experience

Suzume drew me in after reading just a few pages. The slightly dystopian atmosphere, beautiful character art and paranormal themes create a dichotomy between beauty and destruction that is very alluring. Denki Amashima manages to create an interesting tension between lovely drawn characters and the dismal looking background art, which is one of the main reasons Suzume felt so impactful and emotional. The artwork also seems to reflect the state of Suzume’s mind: most of the time she is quiet, withdrawn and shy, but has several emotional outbursts throughout the story which are most likely a result of the traumatic events she experienced as a child. 

We only learn a bit about her past in the form of flashbacks and dreams, which vaguely explain her motivations and add to the mystery surrounding the doors. These flashbacks appear to be connected to the mysterious portals she encounters: The doors lead to another world, where a colossal flying worm roams freely, who is causing earthquakes whenever he enters the human realm. Judging from what we learned about Suzume’s past, I suspect that she might have trespassed one of these doors when she was still very young. But for now I can only guess and wait for the second part to reveal more about this mystery. 

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Suzume and Souta, especially how he initially tries to shoo her away, only to realise he can’t complete the task alone and eventually asks for her help. Daijin, the keystone, which turned into a fierce cat, adds an unexpected twist to the story. He transforms Souta into a chair and later even becomes a social media sensation. I’m eager to see what happens next, particularly with Daijin. Even though I enjoyed the above mentioned parts, I would have liked to see more interaction between Suzume and Souta, as the story often focuses on the characters they meet along the way. But I’m still hopeful that their relationship will be explored further in parts two and three.

Suzume and Souta. I placed an art book by Makoto Shinkai in the background  to add some colour to the photos =)

Art Style

Denki Amashima’s art style is a perfect fit and brings both the fantastical elements and the characters to life. The paranormal aspects, the worm, the doors and the abandoned buildings that were destroyed by earthquakes evoke a sense of dread, otherworldliness and loss, which reflects the mental state of the protagonist. 

The characters are well designed and their deep and complex emotions are also displayed beautifully. I personally enjoyed that the characters are drawn in a more romantic and feminine style that is typical for the sho-jo genre, forming an intriguing contrast to the rather dystopian landscapes. 

Characters

Suzume is a relatable and determined protagonist who grows significantly throughout the story. Her sense of responsibility and courage makes her stand out, especially as she deals with personal loss and the weight of saving her world. Souta serves as an intriguing counterpart to her, although his arc is less fleshed out compared to Suzume’s.  Tertiary characters, such as Suzume’s aunt Tamaki and the mischievous talking cat Daijin add depth to the narrative, while the other characters the pair encounters provide a balance to the heavier themes of grief and responsibility.

On the flip side, the story seems too short to properly handle such a large cast of characters. From what I read, the manga closely follows the film’s portrayal of these characters, but condenses some of their development due to the shorter format. As a result, certain emotional beats may feel less impactful than in the film, where there was more time to flesh out these side stories. 

I honestly wish that more focus was put on Suzume and Souta, whose character dynamic I enjoyed a lot. The other characters felt rather random and I did not care for them at all. The only exception is Daijin, the keystone-turned-cat, who has a mischievous and libertarian personality and eventually becomes a social media sensation in the story. 

Plot & Pacing

The manga mirrors the film’s plot, focusing on Suzume and Souta’s journey across Japan as they close the dangerous doors in order to prevent more earthquakes. While the pacing feels fine, there is just too much plot squeezed into a single manga. This becomes very obvious in moments where the characters' emotional arcs might have benefited from more exploration. 

Suzume is often described as being a road movie and sadly I cannot deny that. Souta and Suzume travel to different places and encounter various characters along the way, which to me felt like a distraction from the main plotline. Instead of learning more about Suzume, Souta, the doors or the worm, we are introduced to other characters who have no relevance to the plot whatsoever. I also would have wished that more focus was put on the character dynamic between Souta and Suzume, which I found very interesting and enjoyable. 

Themes

As in the film, the manga touches on themes of loss, human connection and personal growth. Suzume's journey is not just a physical one but also an emotional exploration of her unresolved feelings regarding her mother's death. The doors could be a metaphor for the lingering impact of past trauma, adding a layer of psychological depth to the dystopian adventure. The story’s paranormal elements feel very dream-like and seem to be connected to Suzume’s psyche, although it remains to be seen if this assumption is true - after all I haven’t watched the movie yet and two more volumes will still be released. 

The bond between Suzume and Souta also emphasises the importance of human connection in overcoming personal struggles and illustrates Suzume’s desire to feel needed and be of help. It becomes apparent that she struggles with self love and self worth and is thus quick to put her life on the line for the greater good and to save Souta. 

While the manga retains the film’s thematic richness, it feels as if Makoto Shinkai wanted a bit too much and added too many themes, characters and plot lines to a single story. Yes, this is only the first volume out of three, but I’m worried that the other two will be as overloaded as this one. I also want to watch the movie in order to compare it with the manga and find out if I feel the same way about the film. 

World Building

The concept of the mysterious doors that connect to otherworldly spaces is intriguing and adds an element of suspense. Each location Suzume and Souta visit feels distinct, from quiet rural towns to bustling cities. The rural settings feel authentic and real, making me feel as if I was experiencing parts of the Japanese lifestyle and culture. I often watch vlogs and documentaries of Japan’s countryside and I felt as if the manga transported me to a small coastal town where life is still a bit slower. I definitely want to watch the movie to experience these locations in full colour, especially since I’m a big fan of Makoto Shinkai’s art. 

Strengths

• Authentic Setting: The depiction of Japan’s small towns and abandoned sites feels real and atmospheric, capturing a sense of nostalgia and desolation.

• Supernatural Themes: The doors to another world and the looming threat of a gigantic, destructive worm create an engaging, high-stakes conflict with a touch of paranormal mystery.

• Art: The artist beautifully captures the characters’ emotions and evokes a sense of drama. The characters are drawn in a very pretty sho-jo like style, which is an interesting contrast to the desolate sites and the cosmic, subliminal threat of the worm and the doors. The abandoned places reflect a sense of loss, influenced by the 2011 Touhoku earthquake and tsunami, and thus present a powerful backdrop for Suzume’s emotional character development. 

• Daijin: This pesky keystone turns into a cat and transforms Souta into a chair, only to become a social media star later on. Daijin is by far my favourite side character due to his strong personality, which adds a quirky, and lighthearted element to the story.

• Suzume & Souta: Suzume is a charming and pretty protagonist who is ridden by grief and driven by strong emotions. Her selflessness and caring nature toward Souta (even when he’s a chair) made me want to learn more about her. Her desire to care for others, stemming from feelings of unworthiness and unresolved grief, adds complexity to her character and turns her into an interesting female hero who I definitely root for. It made me very happy when Souta finally opens up a bit and admits that he needs her help to close the doors and save their home. 

• Dreams and Flashbacks: Suzume’s dreams and flashbacks, which connect her childhood trauma to the mysterious doors, provide a deeper emotional layer to the story and made me want to pick up the next volume immediately – sadly it hasn’t been released yet, so I have to be patient and wait until I can learn more about this cryptic parallel world. 

Daijin

Weaknesses

• Underexplored Mysteries: The worm, the doors and Souta’s backstory remain underdeveloped, making the central mystery feel more like a backdrop to the road trip and slice-of-life moments. This is such a shame, since this is the most interesting (and actually the main) plotline. 

• Distracting Side Characters: The characters Suzume meets on her journey detract from the more compelling relationship between her and Souta. This annoyed me a lot to be honest, especially since these characters have nothing to do with the plot and seem like random filler elements that are just there to give Suzume something to interact with. The fact that Souta is there the whole time is just being ignored. Maybe the author shouldn’t have turned him into a chair?

• Limited Interaction Between Suzume and Souta: Since Souta is transformed into a chair early on, meaningful interaction between the two is limited, frustrating readers like me who are more interested in their relationship. Instead we have to be content with a set of random and boring side characters who should have been left out. 

• Scattered Focus: The plot feels unfocused at times, juggling several themes without fully committing to any single narrative. The plot is about saving the world, Suzume’s grief, her coming-of-age journey and her relationship with Souta (which is neglected after the first half of the book) and on top of that several side stories are squeezed in as well. Overall it seems to me that the author could not decide which story to tell or he changed it up several times throughout the development process. Less would have been more and when I finished the manga I was left pretty disappointed and wanting. 

The cute Suzume walks through a door and enters another world

Who Will Love This Manga?

Fans of Makoto Shinkai’s film Suzume no Tojimari will enjoy this manga adaptation as a way to revisit the story in a different medium. Readers who appreciate emotional, character-driven fantasy narratives with some road trip elements might find Suzume a pleasant experience, even if they haven’t seen the film (like myself). However, those who loved the visual spectacle of Shinkai’s movies may find the manga version a bit lacking in comparison, since it is drawn in black ink and doesn’t feature the colour and beautiful lighting Shinkai is known for. 

Final Thoughts

Overall I’m pretty torn by this manga. On the one hand there are several aspects I enjoyed, for example the two main characters, setting, paranormal mystery and Daijin. On the other hand I was pretty disappointed since this only makes up 50% of the story. The rest was just wasted space if you ask me and I would have preferred it if the plot had a clearer focus centred around Suzume and Souta. Even though this may sound harsh, I still want to know what happens next, so I will pick up the second volume once it is released. The beautiful art style is a plus, which is why I give the manga three out of five stars. 

Rating

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Story: ⭐⭐

Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Big thanks to Kodansha Comics for providing me with this digital review copy!

Details

Title: Suzume 

Story: Makoto Shinkai 

Art: Denki Amashima 

Genre: Dystopian, Adventure, Self Discovery 

Publisher: Kodansha Comics / Vertical Comics

Volumes: 1/3

Published: Sept 24th, 2024 (E)

Big thanks to Kodansha Comics for this review copy!

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