MANGA REVIEW | "Let’s Do It Already!" - Volume Five
Let’s face it: the Katsuragi Family outright sucks! Poor Keiichiro can’t be allowed to have a normal school life, much less enjoy his relationship with Yuri Hasegawa. Nevertheless, our romantic leads in Let’s Do It Already! have often found ways to overcome the rules that Keiichiro’s family keeps forcing down their throats. With that being said, those bastard parents have gone too damn far in the manga’s fifth volume!
At first, it seemed like we would have some big progress with our leads. Keiichiro is asked by the school staff to tutor Yuri, in order to avoid her failing and being pushed back a grade. It’s in this moment where we see the true lengths of Keiichiro’s love goes for Yuri, as he spares nothing when it comes to getting his girl to pass. This includes hiring tutors, using visual aids, and the most deep and mind-numbingly dense study guides imaginable!
This leads me to ask a question about Let’s Do It Already!: just how dumb is Keiichiro really? I know I brought this up in a previous review, but the lack of street smarts and common sense that this guy has is headache-inducing. Perhaps it’s true what they say: when you are in love, you tend to lose IQ points. With that being said, at least Keiichiro’s heart is in the right place, as he gives Yuri the tutoring of her life!
However, it’s right after that where we see just how evil the Katsuragi Family truly is. Yuri’s birthday is coming up, with a Kyoto school trip aligning with the date. She and Keiichiro make plans to do things together separately on the trip, which is a key aspect in just about every manga rom-com. No Kyoto, no romantic progress. (Sorry, but it’s Shinto law.) That’s when Keiichiro’s family pulls the rug out of him, forcing him to not go on the school trip.
Right here is where we see Yuri and Keiichiro grow their spines. Yes, they’ve gotten around the dumb family laws before, but this one stings a hell of a lot! Not bring able to spend time with your beloved on their birthday is the greatest tragedy known to humankind! That’s when Yuri, after seeing the contract saying that he can go on the trip if he finishes the mountains of paperwork, finds a loophole. At that moment, big brain power takes over!
Do they make it on the trip? I’d rather save that reveal for those who wish to read this volume. But while Let’s Do It Already! may have its (intentionally) frustrating parts, it’s nonetheless entertaining. There may be times where you wish you could jump into the manga and slap some sense into everyone, but that’s just wishful thinking. Instead, just cross your fingers that this couple will be okay, and that Keiichiro’s 18th birthday arrives without any issue of the like.
But seriously, f**k the Katsuragi Family.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
