Manga Review: Miss Me? by Tomoko Taniguchi
Emyu has a flashy but cute fashion sense, favoring bright colors that stand out in a crowd. Many people at her school assume she’s romantically experienced and goes to concerts and clubs all the time. But in reality, Emyu’s a mild-mannered girl who’s never had a boyfriend and mostly wears her outfits to go window shopping or visit amusement parks with her friends. She fears that she’s a plain girl who will just blend into the background if she wears ordinary clothing.
One day Emyu learns that the sleepyheaded boy in her class, Shinkichi, is the singer in a rock band, Forget Me Not. On stage, he’s talented, sexy and confident; a far cry from the mumbling lazybones Emyu thought he was. That same night, she meets her brother Yutaka’s tall, long-haired friend Yasu. Yasu’s very gentle and well-spoken for a metalhead, but unlucky in love.
The more Emyu sees of Shinkichi’s good side, and falls for him more, the more his flaws stand out, and he just doesn’t seem to be into her. Meanwhile, Yasu is way better at this courtship thing and makes his interest in Emyu clear, but he’s just not lighting a flame in her heart. Emyu hesitates to cut him off, however, as she knows how sad Yasu is from constant rejections. (One of Yasu’s good points is that he hasn’t used this as an excuse to be a jerk.)
This is a cute, fluffy romance story about some good kids who are just clumsy about dealing with their own and other people’s feelings. The art is shoujo pretty if a bit skimpy on backgrounds, and Emyu’s outfits are adorable for the late 80s. Tomoko Taniguchi knows what her audience likes, and she delivers.
There’s plenty of author’s notes and extra sketches, and in the back a “gag” strip “Let’s Enjoy the Concert” which is about going to rock concerts. (Best way to attract your idol’s attention from the audience? Cleavage.)
Highly recommended to girls from junior high on up who like their romance sweet with a minimum of drama, also enjoyable by most other audiences.
