Saturday, March 10, 2018

Review: NISEKOI: False Love Volume 25

NISEKOI: FALSE LOVE, VOL. 25
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Naoshi Komi
TRANSLATION: Camellia Nieh
LETTERS: Stephen Dutro
EDITORS: John Bae; Amy Yu
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9515-3; paperback (January 2018), Rated “T” for “Teen”
264pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S. $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Nisekoi is a shonen manga from creator Naoshi Komi (Double Arts).  The manga was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, from 2011 to 2016.  VIZ Media published an English-language adaptation of the manga as a graphic novel series, Nisekoi: False Love, beginning in January 2014.  VIZ released the twenty-fifth and final volume of the series this past January.

Nisekoi: False Love focuses on high school students, Raku Ichijo and Chitoge Kirisaki.  Not only are the two enemies, but their fathers are also the heads of rival yakuza syndicates.  In order to keep a gang war from starting, Raku (Shuei-Gumi) and Kirisaki (Beehive) act as if they are a teen couple in love.  In fact, Raku is also searching for his childhood sweetheart, and wears a pendant lock around his neck, a memento of the promise he made to a mystery girl 10 years ago.  Chitoge is one of four young ladies who could be the mystery girl.

As Nisekoi: False Love, Vol. 25 (subtitled False Love – Chapters 218 to 228 to “final story”) opens, the search for the missing Chitoge stops at Tenku Highland.  Through a series of flashbacks and recovered memories, the girl to whom Raku Ichijo pledged marriage will be revealed.

The Nisekoi: False Love manga has come to a conclusion.  Some characters had already been forced to deal with the fact that they were part of a love triangle.  Now, some will have to accept that they are not the chosen one.

Nisekoi: False Love Graphic Novel Volume 25 is a bit melancholy.  A fun manga has come to an end.  After all, this series could have run on for a long time, simply spotlighting supporting characters and both romantic and non-romantic story lines.

The fact that the hero, Raku, has finally had to choose one of two excellent heroines is testament to the wonderful characters created by series creator, Naoshi Komi.  I will not offer spoilers, but while the finale promises wedding bells, and the story has a couple ready for marriage...  So Nisekoi: False Love is worthy of being read by new manga readers for years to come.

9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You'


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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