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苺ましまろ (Ichigo Marshmallow) Vol. 1
The reason I put story in quotes is because there isn't an underlying plot. Each chapter is a story in itself without much connection the previous or next except for the characters themselves. I don't believe a continous plot is an essential item in manga. Good art and design, along with very well crafted isolated stories can surpass the quality of some longer, yet boring storytelling. Azumanga Daioh, which was published in the same monthly as this, is a good example of that. While I do like some of the chapters in this book, a lot of it was pretty bland, neither funny nor cute. There's a bonus 2 page comic with the girls and the author in the back and the first few pages that has Nobue introducing the girls is fully colored. Nobue is shown with brown hair here, but in the black and white pages, she's shown with no darkening of her hair. This threw me off for the first chapter. episode 1. 傷心伊豆旅行 (A Trip to Heartbreak Izu): The girls are getting reading to go to school, and Nobue offers to drive them. Chika declines, and later finds out that going to school, she drove the other two girls far away so that she can pick up some ceramics. episode 2. 人間ゴミ (Human Trash): Nobue is bored, so she gets her sister to play games with her. Miu comes over and starts playing, and so Chika's free to go back to studying. However, Nobue loses and in her anger, puts Chika butt-first in the wastebasket and the other two have a laugh watching her trying to get out. episode 3. お泊り (A Stay-Over): The 4 of them are at Nobue's house. Matsuri and Miu aren't getting along too well. The group eat dinner and bath together, and afterwards, Matsuri apologizes...then passes out from being too tired. While she's sleeping, Nobue and Miu play with her hair. episode 4. 寝るな！ (Don't Sleep!): It's Nobue's birthday tomorrow, so Miu and Chika decided to stay away through the night to make presents for her. In order not to fall asleep, they come up with different techniques to stay away with ice, peppers, etc... In the end, they finish their birthday cards, but Nobue isn't too happy about Chika's. episode 5. 禁煙 (No Smoking): This is probably the funniest chapter of the book. Nobue decides to refrain from smoking. However, everytime she looks down, she always has something in her mouth. In the end, she gives up and goes back to smoking. episode 6. 外で遊ぼう (Let's Play Outside): It's a nice day outside, so Nobue recommends that they play outside. They try baseball, soccer, and kendo, but in all these events, Miu plays a little too rough. They finally retreat to playing video games, but they lock Miu out. episode 7. 起きるな (Don't Get Up!): Miu is playing dead, so Nobue and Chika tickle, slap, put her in front of the radiator, etc... However, after all that abuse, she still tries to play dead. That is until her favorite program airs on TV, and she wakes up for that. She then goes back to playing possum. episode 8. にゃあ (Nyaa): Matsuri wants to buy a hat, but is embarassed to, so Nobue has Miu give her a hat with cat ears to wear as she goes to the store. Along the way, people look at her strangely. At the store, she finds the hat she likes and buys it, but in the end, she seems to like the cat hat better. episode 9. 自由研究 (Self-Study): Miu is doing research for her summer homework and follows everyone around, even to the bathroom. Unfortunately, she doesn't get any interesting information, so for her final work, she makes up more exciting stories. episode 10. 海はどうだ (How About the Ocean?): The girls go to the ocean to play. Miu brags about her two piece, but is told she isn't "filling" the top. In revenge, she takes the top off of Nobue which gets her buried in the sand. (Comments are Closed) |
Title: 苺ましまろ (Ichigo Marshmallow) Vol. 1
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