Reiko the Zombie Shop, Volume 5 Book

Flower of Life is a difficult one -- I love the bits about Hanazono's school life, his friendship with Mikuni and his classmates. The story about Takeda going shopping with Hanazono's classmates made me clutch at my chest and go AWWW. They pick out nice clothes for her! They have tea and gossip! But the fact that they go shopping and do girly things together doesn't change Takeda; she doesn't have any interest in clothes at all after that. I love that. I mean, it sounds obvious that one shopping trip shouldn't change a person, but so many stories have "geek girl lets down hair and becomes interested in things feminine, as is only natural" scenes that it's refreshing to have one story that goes "geek girl allows herself to be all prettied up, but then reverts right back to form".

Also I love that the girls then tactfully choose to split up next time so that everyone can have fun shopping, instead of Takeda and the girls boring each other. EEE. They're so sweet!

And I loved the Christmas party story and I loved the one where Hanazono fights with Mikuni over Artistic Differences, but then they make up, and Hanazono's view of the fight is drawn in old-school shounen manga style. So so cute!

But. But. The subplot with the teacher and the otaku makes me uncomfortable. I don't really know what to think of it. I think the fact that it's mostly being played for laughs, while at the same time we're getting a look into how the teacher feels and she's taking it completely seriously ... man, I don't know. I wouldn't say the subplot's totally spoiling my fun, but if not for that I'd be able to give it 4 stars. As it is, I think I'll be squinting my way through the bits about the teacher and her affair with the otaku all through the series.