Title: Oresama Teacher
Author: Izumi Tsubaki
Publisher: Viz Media (Shojo Beat)
Volume: Volume 10 (ongoing), $9.99
Vintage: 2011 by Hakusensha, September 2012 by Viz Media
Genre: Comedy
The school festival is over and was successfully saved by Mafuyu and the Public Morals Club. After some ninja training courtesy of Shinobu, which he finds himself strangely enjoying, the club must prepare for auditing by the Student Council. Audits trim the number of clubs in the school, so it’s important to put forth a good showing or risk being disbanded. Shinobu should have been the auditor this year, but as he had “left” the Student Council, the task falls to Student Council member Hojo. Mafuyu and Hayasaka visit the other clubs in an attempt to learn what sort of things they should put down on their audit, but they keep coming up blank. Apparently it’s a bit difficult to explain that your club duties include beating up students from rival schools, and beating up classmates, and beating up local gangs. There are other ways to secure a successful audit, however. Specifically by stealing the auditor’s stamp, but Hojo isn’t a pushover. Far from it; she kicks the absolute crap out of anyone who tries. Her abilities don’t stop Shinobu from showing a curious amount of concern over her, though, which grabs Mafuyu’s interest. As does the flustered way Hojo acts around him in turn. Unfortunately, they’re both entirely inept (especially Shinobu) at getting their feelings across in any meaningful way. Hojo is making enemies all around the school by ruthlessly canceling club after club, and things get out of hand on the last day of the audits. In an effort to protect Hojo from the rampaging students, Mafuyu dons her Super Bun mask and joins the fight. She quickly realizes that the students are after the stamp, and not Hojo herself, so Mafuyu snatches it away so the students will chase her and leave Hojo alone. With the audits over, Tsubaki finishes off with a flashback of when Hojo and Shinobu first met Hanabusa and each other, and became an odd pair of friends.
This series continues to be one of the funniest titles I’m reading, and in fact have ever read. It’s fast paced, the gags are well timed, the character reactions are brilliant, and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Of particular fun this volume is watching Shinobu’s complete lack of understanding of his own feelings. Poor Hojo keeps getting lulled into thinking he’s about to confess or something, but then he keeps talking and ruins everything. In truth, he is fond of her, as evidenced by his wanting to protect her, and some particular instances in the flashback, he just doesn’t really realize what he’s doing. And Hojo has some very tsundere-like qualities, so it’s not like she’s easy to deal with, either. Takaomi shuffles around in the background a lot during this volume, casually inserting himself into scenes where he’s not really needed as if he’s bored and doesn’t want to be forgotten. Hayasaka, meanwhile, spends much of his action off the page, working by himself to save their club the official way while Mafuyu and Shinobu run around interfering with everything as usual. Shinobu gets some nice face time this volume, as he begins to realize what having friends and enjoying spending time with them means. He’s supposed to be spying on the Public Morals Club and destroying them from the inside, but he has entirely too much fun playing games with them, and is rather surprised by how enthusiastic Mafuyu and Hayasaka can be. Especially in their concern for him as their friend, although Mafuyu is having a difficult time trying to decide if he really is a friend or still their enemy. They’re all starting to learn that enemies and allies aren’t necessarily divided by a clear, solid line (ie: Student Council vs. Public Morals Club), which weakens Hanabusa’s attempts to destroy the school’s reputation, since all of his minions seem to be falling for Mafuyu’s way of thinking.
Kris
kristin@comicattack.net
@girlg33k_kris
Review copy provided by Viz Media.
