Kamibukuro-kun wa Koishiteru: An Oddly Satisfying Romance
There are times in our lives when we stumble upon stories, ones which move our hearts in an atypical fashion. These types of tales may not be the best written or even all that unique; regardless, they are capable of reaching into our heart, grabbing it by the steering wheel and taking our emotions on a journey. Indeed, this manga is one of those stories.
In our world, there will always be room for stories of this affectionate simplicity, ones which tug at the heartstrings. "Paperbag-kun Is In Love" is a brief manga which brings us a proper conclusion while simultaneously making us want for more.
When the narrative opens up, we are introduced to the individual known as Paperbag-kun. There is little time for him to waste because by the time that we see him, he is already in hot pursuit after our main girl, Asagi Umi. His approach toward her can be viewed as either a creepy stalker's frenzy or a socially awkward person's hesitant nervousness.
Kudos and a round of applause to the mangaka. This was quite a humorous way to introduce the title character of the story. It is a really good way of drawing in the reader's attention. I continued to gobble this up after being led into the story headfirst like this.
The first chapter only continues to escalate. After getting her attention...
Paperbag-kun pulls out a box...opening it up to reveal...
...yes, a ring. This man does not beat around the bush. His affections for Umi-chan are clearly laid out within the first chapter. His methods are questionable, yet one can't help but be convinced of the genuineness of the decisions that he makes throughout the course of the story. He establishes his intentions early on, and during the remaining parts of the manga he honestly displays his desires on an absurd scale (despite his unwillingness to show his face). This becomes evident later on, as he continues to push himself to his limits for the sake of Umi-chan and their evolving relationship.
It would be somewhat dishonest of me to write this review without discussing some of its issues. There is a blatant moral dilemma that is difficult to overlook: Is Paperbag-kun a stalker?
Regardless of his intentions (or the reasons which come to light later on in the manga), his behavior is probably not the proper way to go about seeking out the one that you love. One could even go so far as to say that this manga is a stalker's daydream or fantasy. I wouldn't go that far, but I do think it may be necessary for some people to suspend their disbelief more than usual to enjoy the sweetness of this story. Don't get me wrong, this manga is plenty sweet and capable of diagnosing readers with plenty of diabeetus; though that is the case, one cannot deny that Paperbag-kun's behavior is questionable.
Regardless of the aforementioned issues, this is a emotional story that engages the hearts of its readers. It may be lacking of substance in different ways, but it is still a good love story that many are capable of enjoying. The fact that the art is seriously cute only helps this.
I honestly feel that this manga is destined for an anime adaptation. Having recently been completed toward the end of 2020, it could be a while if it ever gets this opportunity. I would assume that a studio somewhere would be willing to pick this up after the manga gains some traction and becomes more renowned. I don't feel like this is completely unreasonable as a possibility. I hope it does happen, but who knows if it ever will?