MANGA REVIEW | "Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life" - Vol. 2
Sometimes I get a little worried when a manga goes through the motions way too quickly. When it comes to rom-coms and slice-of-life stories, there has to be a good pace in order for it to stay intriguing. It’s why I’m slightly concerned with Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life, whose second volume seems to rush through a checklist of storyline tropes instead of letting them naturally occur. Mind you, that doesn’t take away from the many good things that this volume showcases.
For starters, let’s look at the storylines that feel unique in this story. Tsumiki, Yutaka, and the rest of the class help the medusa mythfolk Hebizono find her missing glasses. This story showcases the strength of the class’s teamwork to help a fellow student in need. (There’s also something funny about Tsumiki holding a grudge against the crow who took the glasses, as it also snatched away her lunch the other day.) Not only do they present how well the students have each other’s backs, but it gives Hebizono the confidence to get to know her classmates better.
That all begins when a heavy rain comes down, leaving Hebizono, Tsumiki, and Yutaka alone at the school. It allows Hebizono to have some one-on-one time with Tsumiki, whom she fears doesn’t look out for herself. However, her perspective changes when Tsumiki makeshifts a gift for Hebizono’s snake hair, revealing that not only is the wolf girl looking out for herself, but also for those around her. The moment signifies not just an understanding between two mythfolk people, but also a proper friendship in the making.
As for the rest of Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life’s second volume, it’s where we see a lot of common storylines that are found in its genre. Watching Tsumiki fail at cooking is pretty funny (especially with the damage she causes), but so many other manga have told such a tale in their lifetime. The wolf girl visiting Yutaka’s house when he’s sick is a big high school rom-com trope, with the only thing sticking out is that there’s nothing here that seems too lovey-dovey. Instead, it’s about how Yutaka should accept a friend’s help when he needs it, rather than be stubborn and attempt to take care of things himself.
A sports festival takes up a huge chunk of this volume, as readers see Tsumiki, Yutaka, and the rest of the students compete to be the best class of the year. It’s got rivalries between other mythfolk, a vampire needing to fix himself up to help with tug-of-war, and comedic shenanigans that showcase various mythfolks’ weak points in competition. But the bigger story is saved for Yutaka, as an old friend shows up for the sports day event.
Even though Tsumiki is in the title of this series, this is also very much Yutaka’s tale. For a while, he lived his life wearing a mask, being unable to be the person he wanted to be. A flashback between the two old friends demonstrates why Tsumiki was unable to find his own identity, and as the two friends drifted apart, his viewpoints in life reached an all-time low. Fortunately, as the narrative shows, there are now people in Yutaka’s corner who are helping him with becoming his best true self.
There are a lot of good stories here in the second volume of Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life. However, with all the manga comedy tropes flying at high speed here (on top of having stuff like a theme park trip and a first house visit in the first volume), I can’t help but worry that author Miyu Morishita will soon run out of ideas for her characters. For now, we’re at an okay place with this manga. But if the go-tos for this genre of manga keep being wolfed down way too quickly, then Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life might find itself being a wet dog amongst its peers.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
