MANGA REVIEW | "Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life" - Vol. 1
We’ve all heard myths of werewolves, ranging from how they transform in a full moon to their thirst for human flesh. But that’s the thing about myths: they’re not real. However, if a werewolf were to exist, there’s a good chance that they’d be as chill as the average human being. That is, if they’re anything like the titular character in Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life.
The main focus of the manga isn’t Tsumiki, but rather the human Yutaka Shinso. He’s the kind of guy who chose to go to school two hours away from home, in order to get a fresh start in life. The problem wasn’t due to him being unable to make friends and the like. Rather, it was the fact that Yutaka found himself trying way too hard to fit in, to the point where he lost his true self. Thankfully, that’s where Tsumiki comes in to save the day!
Despite her being a werewolf, Tsumiki looks pretty much human. Only her ears, tail, long claws, and size 30 shoe size make her stand out just a tiny bit. But even with her being a monster girl of sorts, it never deters Tsumiki. In fact, since she can’t hide her werewolf side, why even bother trying to fit in? And it’s this level of attitude that finds Yutaka admiring her so much.
Of course, this is only just the start of Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life. We can’t have our two main leads fall in love with one another right away. In actuality, this whole first volume does something that a lot of series in this genre tend to forget to do: show our leads growing into friends. Thanks to this, we’re already getting a story that feels more grounded than most. Odd, considering all of the mythfolk that fill this world of theirs.
Vampires, invisible men, insectoids, and winged people all go to this school that Yutaka and Tsumiki roam about. Even with the range of different mythfolk that live in this world, it’s Tsumiki herself that keeps drawing people in, and it’s got nothing to do with her looks. Instead, classmates — Yutaka included — are in awe of her can-do attitude, her positivity, and the way she takes things in stride. But it’s Yutaka that she finds being the most friendly towards, due to his helpful means and his desire to learn from her.
Two rom-com tropes are already covered in the first volume of Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life. The first is Yutaka being invited to Tsumiki’s place, which is filled with humorous moments and incredibly cute visuals. But this moment isn’t shown to get the two emotionally closer; it’s so readers can see what kind of life werewolf folk tend to live, and how Tsumiki is pushing for more of them to follow her lead. (However, it doesn’t stop her siblings from already guessing that Tsumiki and Yutaka will one day be an item.)
Rom-com trope Number Two is a two-for-one special: a class field trip to a theme park. Here, it’s seeing Tsumiki excited to experience a theme park for the first time, as she hopes to one day take her family there. It’s also here where the friendship group expands to add the vampire boy Senga, who is first shown to be kind of a dick and only wanting blood and female companionship. It turns out his mannerisms are a lot more complicated, as his true self reveals something that I’m sure a lot of people can relate to.
While it’s not rom-com-based, the “baseball episode” is something that is always a highlight in manga and anime. And it’s no exception here in Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life, with our titular character showing her skills amongst other mythfolk. I don’t want to spoil what happens here, but needless to say it’s both a funny and visually wonderful take on this classic trope. (I kind of hope we see Tsumiki attempt other sports in the future.)
One cannot help but fall in love with the visual style of this manga. Author Miyu Morishita really knows how to draw cute mythfolk, with Tsumiki herself being the more adorable monster girl since Hikari in Interviews with Monster Girls. There’s a great attention placed in the fur on her ears and tail, as well as the length of her claws on her digits. (It also hilariously shows why no pair of socks is safe from them!)
Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life gets things started strongly with its first volume. The characters are both relatable and likable, and the situations they’re tossed in are very entertaining. There’s no doubt that there will one day be some sort of romance in the air for our two leads, but let’s cross that bridge when we get there. For now, let’s enjoy the fresh friendship that’s brewing in Tsumiki Ogami’s Not-So-Ordinary Life, as it goes to great, beautiful lengths to show the hows and whys of being your true self.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
