MANGA REVIEW | "Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible" - Vols. 7 & 8
Ah, the class field trip. It’s a staple of all school-based manga and anime. And no one is more excited about the trip than the duo of Kubo and Shiraishi. Of course, both have completely different reasons to feel excited. Naturally, the seventh volume of Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible shows how their different reasons will somehow come together on equal footing.
One would be worried about Kubo’s knack for cooking, as her past experiences have resulted in one botched concoction after another. But as her classmates have noticed, she’s become a little bit better in those schools. Maybe it has something to do with Shiraishi, or maybe not. In any case, seeing her and Shiraishi do their best to aid in making curry rice will no doubt leave a smile on anyone’s face.
The invisible kid also finally gets to prove himself to be a hero, and that arrives in the Test of Courage! Kubo finds herself lost midway through the journey, with nary a friend in sight. That is, until Shiraishi shows up and takes control of the situation. Seeing him give Kubo a headpat to help calm her down is one of the sweeter moments in this volume, as it gives the two of them the chance to bond without any interruptions. It also leads the two of them to get to know one another better, as Shiraishi’s poor conversation skills make it hard for him to connect with others.
Like in the Sports Festival arc, Shiraishi gets to have a chance at something he thought he’d never achieve: getting his picture taken for the yearbook. This moment may not seem like much, but as someone who has never been featured on a single yearbook page in the past, it’s a pretty darn big deal! Alas, while he gets to be front-and-center in the picture, Shiraishi’s facial expression isn’t what we’d call “appealing”. Oh well, sometimes you need to take a loss in order to gain a bigger victory in the future.
Between the class trip and summer vacation, Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible turns its attention towards some one-off stories. Kubo losing her voice has some cute moments, as she and Shiraishi attempt to speak with passed notes. Shiraishi deals with a bout of hiccups, with Kubo’s chance to spook the boy backfiring in spectacular fashion. However, no chapter in this volume reaches peak cuteness like watching little Seita earn himself some ice cream. (Thanks a lot, Nene Yukimori, now I want both a daughter AND a son!)
There are some great moments in the seventh volume of Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, but there’s also a bit of unnecessary filler. Granted, said filler is entertaining, but it doesn’t do much to push the story along. With that being said, Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible is still a very fun read, and Volume Seven showcases a good amount of progress between our two main leads. But that progress continues onward into its eighth volume, thanks to another staple of rom-com manga: summer vacation!
While Kubo and Shiraishi are safe from having to take remedial courses, the same can’t be said about Sudo. Even after helping the usual failure Tama with passing, the poor schlub made a fatal error when it came to his own tests: forgetting to write his name! (Note to future assistant language teacher self: make sure all of my students write their names on tests and exams before they pass them in!) Thankfully, because all of his friends have such good hearts, they decide to wait for Sudo to finish remedial courses before they have their fun.
And fun is on the menu for both Kubo and Shiraishi, who find themselves enjoy their time together at the school flower beds and drinking ramune. However, the beach is calling, with Kubo and her family work at a relative’s seaside restaurant. Buying swimsuits is the first thing on the agenda, with Kubo dealing with some self-conscious body issues regarding bikini designs. Thankfully, her family is the kind that knows how to bring positive vibes to those thinking negatively. Also, it helps that a certain older sister gets a text saying that they need a man to help at the restaurant, with the choice being the obvious one!
Once again, Shiraishi gets to experience something he thought he never would, as he works alongside Kubo int he restaurant and has some good-ole fashion beach fun! But a moment of awkwardness arrives when Kubo’s swimsuit starts to untie, resulting in Shiraishi trying his best to think fast and help. Although that hurdle is jumped over with little embarrassment, Kubo’s not so lucky with her second muck-up: eating an entire box of booze-filled chocolates! (Seriously, where are these chocolates that get people drunk? I’ve eaten many that claim to be booze-filled, and never once got tipsy!)
This moment does bring out a side of Kubo that Shiraishi has never seen. She’s a little more daring, and — dare I say — frank with her words. It almost gets a little too close towards Love Confession City, as both friends share how much they mean to one another in their life. Sadly, Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible can’t end here, what with a drunk confession technically not counting in the rom-com rule book. It also helps that Kubo doesn’t remember what transpired that night, although Shiraishi will certainly remember until the day he dies!
Seita winds up being the reason why Kubo, Shiraishi, and the rest hang out next time, with everyone playing with bubbles. Although it’s funny seeing older kids get excited about childish things, but who can blame them? (Ever been to bubble raves? They’re the best!) It’s a goofy and sweet time for all in that chapter, as it leads towards a day that Shiraishi has been waiting a long time for: Kubo’s birthday!
Volume Eight ends with Shiraishi and Sudo going on a shopping trip. Although we don’t know what it is that Shiraishi bought for Kubo, it’s clear that it took a lot of thought (and maybe the aid of a nosy sister) to get Kubo the right gift. One hopes that Volume Nine will bring as big a smile on Kubo’s face as those who are reading this manga. Even if Volume Seven had a couple of speed bumps, Volume Eight of Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible showcased plenty more growth and heart from these two adorable classmates.
VOL. 7 RATING:
VOL. 8 RATING:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
