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A review by black_flamed_candle_b00ks
Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 2 by Tomohito Oda
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I had high hopes for this volume. I had heard mixed reviews about the first volume. Some good. Some bad. I’m autistic myself, so having an autistic-coded character was something I was really excited about. I was really expecting to love this series but I’m so glad I didn’t buy it and borrowed from the library instead. I personally found, and as ironic as it is being autistic, I discovered the nuances and jokes went right over my head. Any time, there were weird ‘jokes’, I just didn’t find them funny at all. I just didn’t get it. One positive, I did like was the shopping chapter (?) / short story at the end of the manga. It was fun, enjoyable and actually engaging. I wish the manga could’ve had more of the happy, go-lucky shopping trip vibes.
After reading the first volume, I noticed there’s a few sketchy and seedy comments made by some smaller characters aimed towards Komi. <For example, in this volume, on page 13, a new character Makeru Yadano, remarks “oops don’t touch there” referring to her inner thighs when helping Komi do sit-ups and touching her legs. It’s creepy and borderline SA. A few pages later (page 18), another creepy comment from Makeru which comes out of nowhere: “watching you run made me realise what a dirty mind I have…”> Komi is overly sexualised for no reason. There’s a weird girl who dehumanises herself as a dog due to not feeling worthy of ‘friendship status’ which becomes this weird trope of her panting like a dog after Komi and she gives weird furry (sorry) vibes. There’s a girl who stalks Komi, sniffs/licks a piece of her hair (without her knowing, ew gross) and then she later kidnaps Tadano (mentioned later). She literally is simply existing and then out of nowhere a character will sexualise her without consent and it’s so weird and gross. It’s really repulsive and makes me want to DNF the series.
<One chapter went from Komi being in the classroom to an odd time-jump to Tadano being held captive and kidnapped.> The plot is rather nonsensical and random. It’s hard to keep up; sometimes the plot is flowing and you think you’re getting somewhere and then characters will stop mid-sentence and the conversation is neglected. <For example, on page 129, Tadano chats with Komi (one-sidedly of course) and is remarking how there was “clear skies this morning…” “at the class meeting…” “which is kind of funny because…”> and then the conversation just stops, like what?? He never continues with the conversation. It just stops mid-sentence. What was the point if it doesn’t add to the plot of the story and makes no sense??
There’s so many time-jumps that <page 145 jumps from gym class with Komi and evil eye girl (I have no idea what her name is she changes it every five seconds to accommodate her fictional ‘reality’) somewhat getting along with the potential of friendship to Tadano in Junior high.> Is this before he and Komi met?? I have no idea what is going on? I have no idea if the rest of the chapters were short stories and not actually a part of the proper plot line.
I might DNF this manga series. The plot is very disjointed, the time-jumps are highly confusing and overall the creepy, sexualised and perverted comments about Komi are enough for me to DNF anyway (plus the transphobia in the first volume). It became quite a jumbly mess. I generously rate this book 2 stars ⭐️. There’s potential but I don’t think this book was executed well nor do I think the translation from Japanese to English carried over the sarcasm, inside jokes or nuisances smoothly at all.
After reading the first volume, I noticed there’s a few sketchy and seedy comments made by some smaller characters aimed towards Komi. <For example, in this volume, on page 13, a new character Makeru Yadano, remarks “oops don’t touch there” referring to her inner thighs when helping Komi do sit-ups and touching her legs. It’s creepy and borderline SA. A few pages later (page 18), another creepy comment from Makeru which comes out of nowhere: “watching you run made me realise what a dirty mind I have…”> Komi is overly sexualised for no reason. There’s a weird girl who dehumanises herself as a dog due to not feeling worthy of ‘friendship status’ which becomes this weird trope of her panting like a dog after Komi and she gives weird furry (sorry) vibes. There’s a girl who stalks Komi, sniffs/licks a piece of her hair (without her knowing, ew gross) and then she later kidnaps Tadano (mentioned later). She literally is simply existing and then out of nowhere a character will sexualise her without consent and it’s so weird and gross. It’s really repulsive and makes me want to DNF the series.
<One chapter went from Komi being in the classroom to an odd time-jump to Tadano being held captive and kidnapped.> The plot is rather nonsensical and random. It’s hard to keep up; sometimes the plot is flowing and you think you’re getting somewhere and then characters will stop mid-sentence and the conversation is neglected. <For example, on page 129, Tadano chats with Komi (one-sidedly of course) and is remarking how there was “clear skies this morning…” “at the class meeting…” “which is kind of funny because…”> and then the conversation just stops, like what?? He never continues with the conversation. It just stops mid-sentence. What was the point if it doesn’t add to the plot of the story and makes no sense??
There’s so many time-jumps that <page 145 jumps from gym class with Komi and evil eye girl (I have no idea what her name is she changes it every five seconds to accommodate her fictional ‘reality’) somewhat getting along with the potential of friendship to Tadano in Junior high.> Is this before he and Komi met?? I have no idea what is going on? I have no idea if the rest of the chapters were short stories and not actually a part of the proper plot line.
I might DNF this manga series. The plot is very disjointed, the time-jumps are highly confusing and overall the creepy, sexualised and perverted comments about Komi are enough for me to DNF anyway (plus the transphobia in the first volume). It became quite a jumbly mess. I generously rate this book 2 stars ⭐️. There’s potential but I don’t think this book was executed well nor do I think the translation from Japanese to English carried over the sarcasm, inside jokes or nuisances smoothly at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment