MANGA REVIEW | "Fly Me to the Moon" - Volume Five
There can be trouble when two people get married right when they first meet. Sure, there are some perks with getting automatically hitched, but there are some things that one misses out on when you don’t wait to wed. In Fly Me to the Moon’s fifth volume, this aspect of bonding is put front-and-center, albeit with a good dose of humor and cuteness.
Kaname forces Nasa to realize that he and Tsukasa have missed out on some important moments in their pre-marriage life. While going out to buy a new phone for his wife, Nasa convinces Tsukasa to go on a date to the aquarium. Meanwhile, Kaname and Aya have their bonding moments with Tsukasa, who finds a way into their circles of trust. Meanwhile, the doting couple take a nightly stroll...through Partner Park!
This volume focuses a lot more on character development than anything else. While there’s good comedy, it’s more about learning the kind of person Tsukasa is when she’s around those close to Nasa. Watching her helping Kaname at the bath house or competing in a video game contest with Aya have their mixture of wholesomeness and silliness that make it easy to not just love Tsukasa, but also every one else! While author Kenjiro Hata enjoys presenting “perfect characters”, there’s enough grounded elements that make it feel like these kinds of people can exist in real life.
However, it’s the growth between Nasa and Tsukasa that shines the brightest in this volume of Fly Me to the Moon. Despite being happily married, there are moments of shyness and coyness that make these two simply endearing. Their date at the aquarium and their walk through Partner Park showcases the mindset of this couple, which has its mixture of sweetness and unintentional horndogness. Yes, it can get a little cheeky, but cheekiness leads to solid lovey-dovey time that any couple would embrace!
Volume Five of Fly Me to the Moon might not be strong comedically, but it makes up for it with its genuine warmth. The cutesy mentality of both Nasa and Tsukasa is what makes Hata’s series an enjoyable read. While it hasn’t reached the wacky levels of Hayate the Combat Butler, Fly Me to the Moon still feels like a proper successor due to its great characters kindhearted attitude, and quirky sense of humor.
By the by, someone should tell Tsukasa that ZZ Top never broke up...
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Gabrielle Dyer of VIZ Media
