Othello, Volume 1 Book

I had started this one a few years ago, but never got around to finishing it, so I figured I'd grab it from the library again. The plot is fairly standard shojo--young woman in school with a problem--but the solution is not a new friend or lifestyle change. This time, the girl splits completely, forming an aggressive, assertive personality that takes action---sometimes in violent ways--to do what her normal self cannot.

This story is interesting but has one problem that I have a bit of a problem overcoming, namely that there's not quite enough done to make us see a physical difference when the change occurs. While Nana holds herself differently when she's Yaya, the idea that her friends cannot tell for sure that she's still the same person strikes me as odd. A girl still looks like the same girl, even if she lets her pigtails fall down, you know what I mean?

However, I am willing to overlook that to see how Ikezawa explores the break between the two selves and how it will come to hurt Yaya, who seems to genuinely not know they're occurring. Will Nana take over completely? Will her friends ever figure it out, and if so, will she be more isolated than ever? I for one would like to know, and will keep reading to find out. (Library, 12/07)

Trebby's Take: Recommended.