Confession time! I love the work of Bisco Hatori, the mangaka known for Ouran High School Host Club, but I had NO idea this manga existed. Love Millenium Snow as well, which is her short and sweet vampire romance. I came across this gem of a manga while browsing through the Viz ShojoBeat site and immediately recognized the art style as a Bisco Hatori work. Now let’s dig into the review!
Chapter 1
A few things to note right away is that this manga has a college setting, Yay! This setting is a nice change of pace from the usual high school setting. Another thing to note is the initial personality of our protagonist, Ranmaru. Imagine Tamaki senpai looks, but Ritsu Sohma’s overly apologetic nature. Also, bonus points for a male protagonist.
Wallflower Ranmaru goes out for an innocent walk through campus when he finds himself in the midst of a zombie attack. Fear not! It’s not a horror fantasy manga. Ranmaru has accidentally stumbled into a movie shoot. The director is furious, saying Ranmaru has ruined the shot. He starts to apologize profusely and inadvertently tells his life story at the same time. Poor Ranmaru’s catchphrase is I”‘m sorry.”
The mysterious “art squad” comes to Ranmaru’s aid when he faints from the stress.
The art squad is a group of dedicated visual arts specialists who make everything from props, sets, costumes, and everything in between for the four different film clubs. After this brief yet informative explanation, the club president, A.K.A. chief, asks Ranmaru to start folding paper cranes for a scene as a thank you for the squad nursing him back to health.
Ranmaru gets nervous as he watches everyone work. He defaults to his overly apologetic nature. Ranmaru starts to tell the members of the art squad about his hilariously tragic life. How he was constantly teased, almost ruined a school club, the school festival, and his neighbors thought he would never continue the family business. He soon flees, saying he will cause nothing but trouble.Another member points out to chief Ryuji that Ranmaru actually folded 20 paper cranes in the short amount of time before leaving. Ranmaru even pointed out a small crack in the ceiling that no one else noticed. Dear Ranmaru, you’re not useless at all.
Ranmaru makes it home, where he tries to comfort a child being yelled at by his sister. The girl’s name is Soh. She is the daughter of the landlord and Ranmaru’s relative. The crying child, Riku, is also a relative. Shortly afterward, the chief finds Ranmaru and takes him back to the art squad. He tells Ranmaru all about how the art squad strives to evolve, doing their best on a small budget and a short amount of time, and maybe Ranmaru should try to evolve instead of living in despair.
As Ranmaru leaves the club, the skylight falls due to the crack in the ceiling he pointed out earlier. The damage destroys an important set model. He rushes home to get supplies to help. While at home, Ranmaru also made a toy for Riku and repaired what Riku’s pet damaged. The supplies might seem like junk to others, but they are all materials that come in handy during the emergency, and he promises to help however he can. It’s finally Ranmaru’s chance to shine. Everyone in the art squad marvels at his speed, efficiency, and a good eye.
The chief asks Ranmaru about some of the troubles Ranmaru has had in the past? How did you almost destroy a club? Ranmaru won a contest which made the club members jealous. Why did the girls at school turn on him? He helped a girl knit a scarf for her boyfriend, but the girls got angry when the boy found out. How did you ruin the school festival? Ranmaru made costumes for athletes for a race, but he couldn’t do it for everyone, and when those without costumes lost, they blamed him. Why did children tease him when he was young? He is the oldest son of a fisherman and gets seasick easily.
After hearing about the skills he has demonstrated and the hardships he has faced, the chief reassures Ranmaru that he now has a place to belong among the art squad. I know this is an extended summary for chapter 1, but I felt it was important to be detailed because Ranmaru’s personality and skills are unique, and so is the art squad.
Chapter 2
This chapter opens with a flashback about how life was difficult for young Ranmaru. Whereas chapter one focused on Ranmaru and Ryuji, the chief, this chapter delves into other club members. Most notably female year three-member Ruka. Ruka sticks up for Ranmaru when the chief tries to muscle Ranmaru into the art squad, in part because the club needs the dues. Ranmaru is happy to be a part of something, so he probably didn’t need much convincing.
Ranmaru goes with the chief to meet one of the directors of the film studies club, who is also the chief’s mortal enemy because they will be working with him on a project. Apparently, the chief and his nemesis Hida go way back to junior high. Hida tells the art squad that his current project is a murder mystery at a hot spring meant for the masses, The art squad thinks it’s cheesy garbage, but they agree to help with the project.
Ranmaru is tasked with assisting everyone with their various jobs for this project as part of intensive training.
He is nervous as usual but also very happy to help and be a part of the group. The chapter ends with the director realizing someone is going to great lengths to sabotage the movie.
Chapter 3
The mystery of who is trying to sabotage the film the art squad is helping with remains. Actors and other crew members have even received threatening emails and texts.
The vandal or vandals are trying to frame the chief and give the art squad a bad name. They don’t succeed, of course, with the help of Ranmaru and other art squad members, the chief is able to trick the culprits. Surprisingly, Hida’s two groupies were behind the chaos.
The two wannabe goons underestimated the chief’s dedication to his work as well as Hida’s. The chief may be his nemesis, but he acknowledges his talent.
Instead of Hida sending off the wannabes to the 9th dimension, he asks for the chief to forgive them. Ryuji claps back, saying, next time. I’ll charge double.
Chapter 4
This chapter heavily revolves around Ranmaru getting to know some of the other members and their specialties. Including Ruka, the third-year member who often defends Ranmaru against the chief’s craziness.
Ranmaru becomes an official member of the art squad, and he and Ruka share a meal together. Ranmaru learns a few quirky things about her, like she has a massive appetite and loves right angles. Ruka and Ranmaru are trying to track down the Sci-fi club that hasn’t returned the art squad’s props.
When the sci-fi club gives them the slip, Ranmaru runs into the good-looking jack of all trades art squad member, Izumi. The two have a brief chat about a silent film that left a deep impression on Ranmaru as a child. When Izumi goes, he gets on the phone with the chief to say that Ranmaru finding his way to the club might be fate.
Next, Ranmaru goes supply shopping with the secretly morbid zombie movie-loving second year, Maasa. She is single and not happy about it. She teaches Ranmaru
Next, Ranmaru runs into a fellow first-year member and former thug, Tomu. He gives Ranmaru a rundown of what teachers like and dislike and how generous the philosophy department is.
It took a minute for Ranmaru to realize that all this running around was the Art Squad’s fun way of showing him the ropes and preparing for Ranmaru’s welcome party. Ranmaru is left feeling hopeful and welcomed thanks to his new friends.
Chapter 5
Chapter 5 revolves heavily around Ruka, whose specialties revolve around costume design. She ends up designing the costumes for the protagonist of a snobby film studies director’s latest project.
Although the director acts like a jerk, Ruka is moved by the script and is determined to do her best.
It’s random, but I think it’s hilarious that the dog is named after the godfather.
Aside from the director, the rest of the crew adore Ruka and appreciate her hard work and consideration of their feelings and not just the director’s feelings.
Ranmaru looks on in admiration of Ruka, wondering if there is anything he can do to help.
As the director’s demands get even more ridiculous, everyone notice’s that Ruka is a little worn out, and they all do their best to help her feel better. Ranmaru, being ever observant, even takes note of Ruka’s favorite dish and makes it for her.
The chief reminds Ranmaru that his unique upbringing as the son of a fisherman has its advantages and unique perspective and that he shouldn’t overlook it. This harkens back to the fact that each chapter often starts with Ranmaru remembering something he learned from back home that becomes important to the plot or advice that was given to him by his parents.
Ranmaru learns that Ruka is the niece of a talented seamstress. That is where her love of costumes comes into play. Seeing Ruka use her unique background, like the fisherman’s son that he is, Ranmaru checks the weather and urges Ruka to make a second white dress, even though the director insists on a black dress.
Ranmaru, the genius, notes that the actress playing the protagonist was going back to her hometown for the weekend and that the region where she is from would have a typhoon. He was able to figure out what region she is from because she loves chicken tempura and complained about having to fix the heater. Genius, I tell you. Ranmaru learned dialect from that region from another fisherman as a child.
As it turns out, everyone assumed that the director was being a jerk to Ruka because he was rejected as a potential boyfriend, but he actually just wanted to be gal pals. All’s well that ends well in that regard as Ruka and the other girls agree to hang out with him.
After Ruka thanks him, Ranmaru has a doki-doki moment. Methinks she will be a love interest in the future.
Overall impression? 10/10 Fantastic, fun and funny. The loveable cast of characters makes it obvious that this is a Bisco Hatori work. The tone of the manga hits a sweet spot for emotional depth and silliness all at once. Ranmaru has a lot of growing to do and I love it. Nobody has it figured out at 18. I hope he has found a place to belong.
