Review: Inu x Boku SS, vol 1 by Cocoa Fujiwara

Inu x Boku SS, vol 1
Author: Cocoa Fujiwara
Published: 2010
Genre: Shoujo Manga
Series: Inu x Boku SS #1
Rating: C

---

On a whim, I got Inu x Boku SS, vol 1 from the library last week. It’s been a while since I’ve read any manga, but I was looking for something quick to read. After finishing this, I’m rather apathetic about the series.

Ririchiyo Shirakiin moves into an apartment building populated with half supernatural beings and finds that her parents have hired Soushi Miketsukami to be her bodyguard. Even though Ririchiyo is annoyed at this turn of events, she finds it difficult to resent the ridiculously positive and kind Soushi. This first volume works to introduce us to the series’ world and all the inhabitants of the apartment building who slowly become Ririchiyo’s friends.

Overall this felt like a very standard shoujo manga. Most of the main characters love Ririchiyo upon first meeting her and Soushi is instantly one hundred percent devoted to her. On the plus side, I did enjoy that Ririchiyo has a sharp tongue and employs it frequently throughout the volume. However, it was usually followed by her going into a hardcore “poor me” spiral, which got a little old. As for Soushi, I loved that he’s part kitsune and found him fairly interesting. I would have liked to have seen the negative side of his refusal to deny anyone a request explored more though. Especially it’s impact on Ririchiyo, who has an issue with people being insincerely kind to her.

While the story didn’t really grab me, I’m tempted to continue forward with the series because the lore involved is interesting. All the tenants of the building are throw backs to mythological Japanese creatures and there’s lot of interesting ones throughout the manga. For instance, there’s an ittan-momen, which is a creature that resembles a sheet of fabric. Traditionally, they were thought to come to life at night to wrap itself around hapless people’s faces and smother them. Having characters like this, made for some really humorous moments. I’m sure I’ll eventually pick-up volume 2 from the library, but I’m not in any rush to do so.

If you’re a fan of Fruit Baskets, you’d probably find something to enjoy here. However, this isn’t a series I’d recommend to someone looking to get into manga.