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Title: Crown of Love
Author: Yun Kouga
Publisher: Viz Media (Shojo Beat)
Volume: Volume 3 (ongoing), $9.99
Vintage: August 3, 2010
Genre: Shojo, romance, drama, older teen

Previously I reviewed volume 1 and volume 2 of this series, so you may want to check those out first.

The story so far:
Hisayoshi Tajima bumps into teenage idol Rima Fujio on a train and falls for her instantly.  The once very aloof and disinterested boy becomes fascinated by the idol, and tries to work his way closer to her.  He is scouted by talent agent Ikeshiba, who convinces Tajima that the best way to get closer to Rima is to work for the same agency and become an idol himself.  Tajima’s father is completely against his son’s decision, so he moves into Ikeshiba’s house.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t make the best impression on Rima, who is seriously freaked out by the level of devotion she gets from fans.  To get back into her god graces, Tajima tutors Rima to help her get into his high school.  Tajima is an instant hit, and starts getting a string of jobs lined up right away, causing Rima to start seeing him as her rival (he just can’t win with her).  Now that Rima is attending school, she gets accosted by Yurie, who is worried the new girl on campus is toying with Tajima’s feelings.  As Rima does her best to balance work and school, her troublesome mother disappears.

Volume 3 kicks off with Tajima recording a new song.  Rima shows up to let him know she won’t lose to him, and accuses Tajima of not taking his job seriously when he claims he could never outshine Rima.  Rima is so caught up in being competitive, that she can’t picture Tajima as a romantic interest, and it’s making him miserable.  The still-without-some-reasonable-purpose Shingo poignantly states that it’s just not love if you stop loving someone because it’s too painful.  While trying to kill some time, Tajima runs into a woman searching for a Rima Fujio CD.  After he helps her out in the store, she insists on spending the day with him, and they go to an arcade, and out to eat.  The woman, Mitsuko (who we know to be Rima’s mother), talks about her troubles communicating with her daughter, and gets Tajima thinking about his relationship with his father.  Encouraged by Mitsuko, he goes back home to have a one-on-one talk with his dad about his life.  Remarkably, his dad listens seriously, and they’re able to move forward in their relationship.  Rima gets a break at school when she’s invited out for a day at an amusement park by Yurie, along with Tajima, Shingo, Manami, and two of Yurie’s friends.  Later, while skipping school, Tajima is accosted by a young woman who insists he take her on a date (except it’s not really a date, because Shingo tags along).  As they talk about love and feelings, Tajima creepily remarks that Rima can never refuse love, because she’s lonely, and that he’ll win her that way.  Then he talks to Rima on the phone, who tells him about her day…and the very next day she wants nothing to do with him again (so hot and cold!).  Fed up, Tajima tells Rima that is she will say she hates him outright, he’ll leave her alone for good.  After a distracting day at work, Rima pushes her feelings onto Ikeshiba, who responds unexpectedly.

The more I read this title, the less I like it.  It’s so sloppy and the characters are too flimsy.  The only one I’m remotely interested in is Ikeshiba, but he doesn’t get enough face time to make this title worthwhile for me.  But if there’s anything in this series to look forward to, it’s how far Ikeshiba will go to scare Rima off.  Secondary romantic interest (or just road block) Akira becomes less of an instigator, and more of a generic background character.  Ikeshiba asks Tokugawa to take some candid photos of Tajima, for some mysterious purpose, though for something that is called out in the beginning of the book, it’s hardly used later.  And who is this totally random bizarre girl who drags Tajima all over town?  The art in this volume is sloppier than the others.  Rima and Mitsuko look so alike that it’s near impossible to tell them apart when they’re in a panel together (unless they’re dressed differently).  When Tajima goes back home to talk to his father, it’s like he grows three years younger.  He’s asserting himself and making his father listen to him; he shouldn’t look like such a little kid in those panels.  The main theme in this volume revolves around why people fall in love, and what it means to be in love with someone.  Shingo, Yurie, Tajima’s dad, Manami, and even Ikeshiba give their (very different) opinions on love.  And not just love between a guy and a girl, but love between a parent and their child as well.

Kris
kristin@comicattack.net
@girlg33k_Kris

Review copy provided by Viz Media.