However you may have stumbled upon this manga, you probably know what you should expect.
A goofy comedy, packed with hearfelt moments and guarnished with a lovable cast. This is of course correct, but let me prove you that this comic is much more than you think.
SPOILER FREE REVIEW GUYS
First, the artstyle is simple,clear and expressive lines is what akasaka has been feeding us since 2015. And it's always been working perfectly. The style perfectly balances it's goofy side with the dramatic one, making both stand out remarkably. Every chapter feels light, the pacing never speeds up or slows down excessively, and the reader doesn't have to struggle trying to understand what's going on. Simple however doesn't mean plain, and just after a few chapters you'll realize how effective this simplicity is. Even more, the style evolves a lot along the course of the chapters and gets even better than it is at the beginning (even tho i sometimes miss that early vibe).
Then, as I've already said, this is a slapstick comedy romcom. It's playful at heart, alimented by pop culture and always manages to make you smile. Comedy is something very personal, but the way every gag is carried out is appealing to everyone. But it doesn't end with that, this comedy serves as appetizer for the main dish. How many times have you felt miserable? Asked yourself what was wrong with you, why you couldn't be like someone else, why you were such a failure. Many, right?
Well these characters are in your, or rather our, same boat. Conflicted, imperfect, insecure high schoolers. Just like everyone is, deep inside. Their problems span from having no tits to dealing with childhood trauma, the themes tackled are not the usual teenager tragedies, but the real issues that everybody has to face. Giving always your best because you fear abandonment, being coldhearted out of fear of not being like the other, feeling unworthy of happiness or so lonely that all you want is just a place to have some piece of mind. This manga is that place. It's the hug you crave for when you are sad, it's the light that makes you crack up laughing after a tough day, it's the mirror where you can see yourself. And all of this thanks to the most genuine, well synergized and exhilarating cast I've ever seen.
Yeah the story does get GTO-like at some point but it never gets to the level where you get distracted from the events. Being over the top has always been the core of this story, and it can be an issue for some but the only way to find out whether you are one of those is reading it. It's a tale of growth, love and friendship like no other. The war of wits and brains never gets repetitive, the events avoid being clichè and manage to keep you engaged even after so many plot changing moments.
Everybody gets a complete evolution, with their own pace and page time (even the most static characters get their spotlight) without the narrative ever slowing down. Personally speaking, this is so much more than a comedy. It's a love letter (or confession, that would be better fitting) to the characters. to you all those who doubt themselves.
Give this manga a chance. And who knows,maybe you'll fall in love! Maybe you'll feel at home in the student council room, maybe you'll feel closer to yourself, maybe you'll just have a good laugh and that'll be it. No matter the case, you won't be disappointed.
I usually don't rate stuff, it deprives art of it's value imo, but I couldn't rate it anything but a 10. Hope you liked this review and hope you'll give Kaguya sama a chance. If you liked this review consider following me, I will write many more. Now, good read!
60.5 out of 67 users liked this review