Nisekoi: False Love, Vol. 21

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 6 JAN 2014

Komi's English debut is his first serial work since 2008's Double Arts. While specializing in one-shot romances aimed at boys, this title is Komi's longest piece to date, bringing a delicate, airy art style and complicated rom-com to Weekly Shonen Jump. Raku Ichijo is your average high school student and mob heir chasing a dream: he wants to go straight, ask his crush out on a date, and find the long-ago girl who holds the key to his heart-shaped locket. On the eve of his confession to his longtime crush, shy and caring Onodera, he's summoned by the family head and told to fake a relationship with the most egregious (and gorgeous) girl in school to avoid a turf war. Misunderstandings begin from there, whether with the comedic-relief chorus of overly devout bruisers on either side, Ichijo's classmates, or Onodera. While Ichijo continues the search for the key-wielder and struggles with finding a safe space to confess his feelings for the girl he really likes, he learns to look outside himself and see the different kinds of caring that exist. The book is rated for teens, and will be a good, fun read for that age group; for adults, the plot is nothing new, and a bit heavy on the bickering at least, in volume 1.