Komi Can’t Communicate Volume 1
Synopsis
Komi might seem like the typical untouchable coolest girl in school. However, her stoic demeanor is often confused with her social anxiety, which goes unnoticed by all her classmates until she meets Tadano. Tadano is a new student who wants to blend in with the crowd. After mistakenly staying late after class, he gets to know Komi and realizes she isn't all she seems. The two embark on an unlikely friendship to help Komi make one hundred friends. Get ready to laugh, cry, and cringe at the awkwardness of high school and the difficulties of making friends while having social anxiety.
Review and Recommendation
“Komi Can’t Communicate” is the type of book that I wish existed when I was a teenager. Anxiety has always been a part of my life. As a child, I went from being bubbly and chatty to awkward and shy as I hit my teenage years. Talking made me nervous. I was always worried I would say the wrong thing. I vividly remember being ten years old and shaking with fear as I inched closer and closer to the cash register to order three crunchy tacos from Taco Bell. My mom had to force me to blurt out my order because I was so afraid something terrible would happen once I opened my mouth. Almost every protagonist in movies, books, and TV at the time were bold rebels who would never be afraid to ask for what they wanted when they wanted it; let alone be nearly petrified to order tacos. When I started reading this manga, I was so overjoyed that finally, a character existed that was going through the same things I went through as a teenager. I also thought this book did an excellent job with LGBTQIA+ representation. From what I’ve seen in the past with American media, most LGBTQIA+ characters are seen as outcast wallflowers or overly eccentric Broadway-bound stars. Nothing wrong with this, but I think LGBTQIA+ characters deserve more depth. (As I’m writing, I realize there are more shows and movies with excellent representation, but when I was growing up, I rarely saw shows that didn’t have stereotypical representation of LGBTQIA+ characters.) In this book, one of the main characters, Najimi Osana, is trans and the most popular person in school, with many friends and admirers. Her introduction into the story is subtle, and she is seen as an average student living their life. I love the overall theme of this book about acceptance and challenging yourself to achieve your goals. This was a fantastic read, and I hope you give it a chance.
*Spoiler Alert* (A spoiler alert is being issued because there are mentions of specific plot points that relate to the rating of this review.)
My one issue with this book is that it has a few sexual innuendos that I thought were unnecessary. I understand that each character is supposed to be corky and awkward, but some insinuations I felt were a little much and didn’t add anything to the plot. There is also a section of the book with an almost assault, but Komi saves the character. Those are the only sections to be aware of for younger readers.
