School Rumble  Volume 17 Manga Review

Summary/Synopsis:

Eri sees Harima giving Tenma a lot of attention despite Tenma being a ditz, so she tries that approach to attract Harima. Tenma invites Eri and friends for a shrimp party, where Eri discovers Harima is like her and doesn’t like shrimp. However, Eri is stumped when Harima agrees to go to Tenma’s party and even attempt to eat the shrimp he doesn’t like. Yakumo sees Harima’s distress and makes him a lobster that is actually filled with potato, renewing the rivalry between herself and Eri.

Yakumo has her friends over to see her Hinamatsuri doll display, where they try to get the scoop on Yakumo’s relationship with Harima. Harima needs help with his manga, so Yakumo sends Tenma over. Eri overhears Harima vehemently proclaim he does not love her to Tenma and later takes it out on Tenma, who doesn’t understand what she’s done to anger Eri, and nothing she does seems to make it better.

Eri reminds Harima of his promise to go to an oyster bar with her, so Harima reluctantly agrees to go the following day. Eri also agrees to see Tenma the following day after her date with Harima. However, the two end up in Tokyo with only ¥100 and are forced to borrow money. A snowstorm threatens to cause them to have to spend the night in a hotel together, but after Harima reveals he has a cell phone, Eri calls home to get picked up. Tenma goes to Eri’s home to wait for Eri so she can apologize and spends the night outside. The next morning, Yakumo finds Tenma outside Eri’s home as Eri returns. Eri’s words to Tenma angers Yakumo, who slaps Eri. Eventually, Eri and Tenma make up.

Eri and Akira hit the batting cages and bowling to discuss Harima and Eri’s non-relationship. Tougou comes up with a new script with Eri as the lead and Harima as the unwitting participant, where he chooses Tenma over his manga. Tenma’s excitement over Harima’s acting causes him to decide to change professions. Yakumo comes to realize her feelings for Harima and her jealousy.

Thoughts/Review:

Since I doubt School Rumble ever gets license rescued (bastards), I decided I’d go ahead and finish reading the series and volume review it.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this volume.

Yakumo’s actions in this volume were surprising. I think this is the first time I’ve seen her get angry. Her slapping Eri after Eri insulted Tenma was surprising in some regards and not surprising in other another regard.

Although Yakumo’s character is in anguish at the moment, I liked that she is starting to acknowledge her own feelings for Harima. She knows Eri loves Harima. She knows Harima loves Tenma. Despite herself, she’s fallen for Harima.

One of the things about School Rumble was that the manga ran in three different manga magazines — Weekly Shounen Magazine, Shounen Magazine Special, and Shounen Magazine Wonder. The stories in Shounen Magazine Special were denoted with a flat music symbol (♭) and were side stories. Yakumo got one of these stories in this volume, which showed how she became friends with more girls than Sarah. I really liked that chapter.

Eri really steps up her pursuit of Harima here, all because he’s the only guy who doesn’t succumb to her normal charms. He’s the only guy she doesn’t put on a false front for. So it is understandable that this would draw her to him. At the same time, Harima puts no airs on in front of Eri, yet despite being in love with Tenma, he finds himself with Eri more often that one would think possible.

Eri’s pursuit of Harima has also brought out the ugly side of her. It isn’t the first time this has happened, but this time, it nearly cost her the friendship she has with Tenma. They had a weird way of resolving things between them, but obviously, I was glad to see this happen.

It was interesting that Akira became someone Eri could confide in. Akira has always been a bit of a mystery character who’s driven by an interest to stir the pot. But here, she seems genuinely on Eri’s side and is willing to help her probe Harima for his feelings through Tougou’s movie.

I liked seeing the backstory of Kozue, the Kogal girl of the series (another of the side story chapters). On first glance, her character design when she was younger was just Tenma, sans the tiny hair twigs and more weight.

In the end, I liked School Rumble volume 17 quite a lot as it moved both Eri’s and Yakumo’s romance stories with Harima forward. Here’s to reading the rest.