Despite its magical elements, Caterpillar Girl and Bad Texter Boy is not a fairy tale, and Suzume’s ultimate state and the burden Akane embraces at the end is a metaphor for the scars in their relationship.Įxtras include embedded author’s afterword, 4-page bonus manga, and title page in color.įor more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!Ĭame here as soon as I finished the manga, because I wanted to review the story as it was still fresh in my mind. The narrative that results is less about a bizarre magical transformation and more about the lingering effects of the damage people inflict upon one another.Īlthough Yutaka claims to be happy with her ending, the book’s conclusion is better described as bittersweet. At the same time, Suzume’s personality starts to degrade. In addition to self-reflection on Akane’s part, Yutaka inadvertently stumbles upon a major element of dysfunction in the Kuchinashi family. With the introduction of Yutaka, the focus shifts to the origins of Akane’s pathetic personality. However, when he finds Yutaka, she is strangely hostile toward him. Akane feels incredible guilt about the situation so he seeks out Yutaka Ouga, the schoolmate who told Suzume how she might change herself. However, the story doesn’t devolve into a weird ”my girlfriend is a bug” comedy. Unwilling to give up, Suzume decides to rectify the situation, not by changing Akane, but by turning herself into a giant caterpillar.Īnd there you have the humor in the story, with Akane freaking out at his transformed friend and Suzume struggling to do things in her new body. Instead of being happy about it, he turns her down, saying that she’s too perfect and he’s too messed up for it to work. So Akane’s shocked when Suzume asks to be his girlfriend. She’s beautiful, smart, and popular-the exact opposite of him. ![]() ![]() However, Akane does have one friend: Suzume Kikuo, the girl next door. Although he attends school, he doesn’t have any confidence, is bad at interacting with others, and therefore keeps to himself. He’s more accurately described as a borderline NEET (a shut-in). ”Bad Texter Boy” refers to Akane Kuchinashi, and it’s a misnomer because you only see him using his smartphone on the first page. However, the characters of this seven-chapter, single volume manga are not heroic, and while there is some humor, the story is more melodrama than laughs. Despite the supernatural transformation of a character into a giant bug, this single-volume story is really a commentary on human relationships and the immense impact that invisible emotional hurts have on our lives.Ĭaterpillar Girl and Bad Texter Boy sounds like the name of a superhero team or a comic duo. The title makes it sound like a comedy, but it’s not. I can't believe I'm saying this, but might have love as much as I loved Orange by Ichigo Takano.Īnd of course the art was fantastic as always! People usually cry at the end of a book, but I started crying at page 23 and didn't stop till i finished the book- filled with sentimental and loving scenes, this is the perfect manga. Not only was this a romance tragedy (kind of tbh), but Sanzo managed to add a bit of myths and magic in, too. Every single part of this manga was so mesmerizing and dreamy Two broken people, healing each other throughout the process of finding themselves. Way too many mangas are part of a series, so I enjoyed how this is a standalone. I loved this book with all my heart and life. The next day, A caterpillar shows up at the door. Akane, in shock that Suzume likes a loser like himself, rejects her. This book is about a girl, Suzume, who asks out her boy-next-door, a shy boy- Akane. I felt so deeply and sorrowful for the way Suzume made Akane feel. I feel like I say that for every book I love but I honestly love this book with all my heart. This was the most beautiful manga- and book- I have ever read. ![]() Teens (and older readers) who've struggled with social isolation, anxiety, depression, one-way romantic relationships, and accidental metamorphosis into giant insects will find much to relate to in this single-volume (?) graphic novel. ![]() What sounds like a fantastic premise is anchored by all-too-believable characters. Hijinks ensue as an increasingly-desperate Akane tries to find a cure for the increasingly-inhuman Suzume with the help of Yutaka, a friend of Suzume who's keeping a massive secret. Suzume has a bit of an obsession with Akane, and when he rejects her out of bewilderment that someone as "perfect" as her would want to date someone like him, she disappears, then reappears as. The titular characters are two friends: Suzume, who is kind, smart, and gorgeous, and Akane, who has struggled with anxiety and feelings of low self-worth since his parents separated when he was a child. Henry's "Gift of the Magi" and Kafka's "Metamorphosis" had a baby that was raised by Shojo Beat and Patrick Ness's "A Monster Calls," you'd get Caterpillar Girl and Bad Texter Boy.
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