"Nisekoi" Review

Wouldn't you know it: The last time I posted, I couldn't think of anything to write about, hence why I posted about Seven Deadly Sins.  But a recent trip to the library showed me a new volume of another series I'd been meaning to blog about, but had forgotten.

The name is Nisekoi, by a person named Naoshi Komi.

Our hero is high school student Raku Ichijo, the son of a violent yakuza family who only wants to live a sane and decent life.  He secretly pines for childhood friend Kosaki Onodera.  And, ten years ago, he made a promise with a little girl, whose name and face he can't remember, and received a special locked pendant, of which she holds the only key.

All of a sudden, into his life comes the brash and athletic Chitoge Kirisaki.  After getting off on the wrong foot, his family reveals that she is also the daughter of a powerful yakuza family, and that the two must be married in order to maintain a fragile peace.

 So, not only does this throw cold water on Raku's chances with Onodera, but there is also the problem of Chitoge's bodyguard Claude, who instantly sees that something is not right with their so-called "relationship".

In true romantic comedy style, several hints are dropped as to who exactly his promise girl may be.  A new suitor named Seishiro Tsugumi (Chitoge's other bodyguard/reverse trap) is introduced in Volume 2, clearly leading us to believe that more and more people after the fated couple will start to appear soon.

Now, I know what you're all thinking: this sounds like some sort of Love Hina Lite.  And it sort of is, albeit with much less fanservice (given Komi's unsexy art style.).  But I liked Love Hina, and not just for all of its fanservice (of which there was a LOT!).

I've heard that it's gone on for over 100 chapters in Japan, with no ending or resolution in sight.  Now, I like my stories tied up and explained with a nice fancy bow on top.  So we can only hope that the mysteries will be revealed some day.  (And it would be pretty ironic if Raku wound up getting together with Onodera after all, despite her not being the female lead.  Totally unexpected.)

One thing that really gets me, aside from the similarities to Love Hina, is the sheer amount of strange names that all the characters are given (Ruri, Raku, Chitoge, Claude, Kosaki, etc.).  Claude isn't even Japanese, and I'd never heard of some of those other names being used before, either.  Now, I love unusual names as much as the next guy, but that's usually more when I'm the one creating/assigning them.

But I do love Mafia/Yakuza stories, so let's hope that things continue forward on that point, as well.