EX Home | Search | FAQ | Email Prev. Page | Contents | Next Page
MANGA REVIEWS

Copyright © Hoshisato Mochiru
Published by Big Comics
ISBN4-09-182481-1
ISBN4-09-182482-x
Available now
¥500






—by Keith Rhee

Have you ever found something you were looking for... in a place and situation you were least expecting it? THE STORY OF LOOKING FOR THE BETTER HALF, by romance manga artist Hoshisato Mochiru, tells the tale of an unlikely couple who meet under unlikely circumstances and yet manage to grow to accept and love each other.
  Yuu, a professional translator and subtitler, is a hopeless romantic who's easily moved to tears. Angered and saddened that her best friend is leaving her career behind to get married (thus breaking their mutual promise that nothing would interfere with their careers), Yuu stops by the local video store and begins to cry (as usual) at the ending of a subtitled movie (her first subtitling job!) and facefaults when the clerk starts laughing uncontrollably. The clerk Minoru says he can't help it, as he finds it rather funny. The two begin squabbling, after which Yuu storms off.
  Minoru has problems of his own, however. When he's not working as a store clerk, Minoru is busy auditioning to become an actor. Unfortunately, Minoru finds himself unable to take any kind of melodrama serious—he ends up bursting into laughter (hence the scene at the rental store). For someone who's trying to land a serious role, this is a rather unfortunate problem, and so Minoru keeps failing miserably.
  The day of Yuu's friend's wedding arrives. A reluctant Yuu is dragged to the wedding by her friend, who introduces her to her soon-to-be husband. "Let me introduce you to my good friend," says the groom, and introduces... Minoru! The two wind up sitting next to each other at the reception, where Yuu begins to complain about her life. Minoru tries to encourage Yuu; uncharacteristically for himself, he launches into a speech so serious that he moves Yuu to tears (as usual) and receives a standing ovation from the audience, and they end up spending the night together.
  What starts out as a random encounter and brief infatuation soon develops into something more serious, as both Yuu and Minoru keep bumping into each other and begin to spend a lot of time together. Yuu begins to see the serious, caring side of Minoru, while Minoru gradually learns to take things seriously, be it himself, romance in general, or Yuu. Despite a lot of disagreements and heartache, the two gradually realize that they were meant for each other.
  The story is one of Hoshisato's earlier works, and it shows in the artwork, which is rougher than his recent works but nevertheless conveys emotion and feelings very well. The lighthearted tone of the story is also indicative of his earlier style. Of particular note are the name puns in the story. Minoru's family name is Omaedake, which literally means "Only You." (And what is the name of the woman he's in love with?)
  At two volumes, THE STORY OF LOOKING FOR THE BETTER HALF is one of Hoshisato's shorter stories, and not necessarily one of his best. But it is still an enjoyable read, and tells its tale well and wraps up nicely without any unnecessary story arcs for the sake of story length. If you're already a Hoshisato fan, I can readily recommend this story. In addition, the short length and lighthearted story make this story a good introduction to his works for new readers.


EX Home | Search | FAQ | Email Prev. Page | Contents | Next Page