THE GIRL WITH THE SANPAKU EYES (Sanpakugan-chan wa Tsuteitai), by Shunsuke Sorato. First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2020.
PLOT:
Amane Mizuno might have a fierce, mean-looking face but on the inside she's as nervous and romantic as any teenage girl. The object of her affection is Katou, an exuberant classmate of hers. Can she ever figure out how to communicate her feelings to him without scaring him off or weirding him out?
STORY:
The Girl With The Sanpaku Eyes is a pleasant diversion, but its simplicity is both a blessing and a curse. The premise is a simple one to grasp and much of it will feel familiar to anyone who struggled with an unspoken crush in high school. It's just that there isn't much to it beyond that. You'd think that Amane's looks would factor more into it considering their prominence in the title, but it doesn't seem to affect her life all that much. She has friends, Katou doesn't seem to be put off or intimidated by her looks, and she doesn't seem to suffer any social consequences for it. It's just there as a visual gag that Sorato himself admits he did on a lark.
What this series needs to do to succeed in the long run is to expand its premise. I think Sorato recognized that from early on. He peppers in a few new cast members here and there, be there Amane's girl friends or her equally ferocious-looking siblings. He also allows Amane and Katou to make some progress in their relationship, even if it's just baby steps. It shows that at least he's not content to drag things forever, which is something that a lot of shojo manga could learn from. I just wish he had more to offer readers from the start.
ART:
Sorato's style is a lot more angular than what you usually see in these sorts of schoolroom romances. This is most obvious with Amane, whose face is full of harsh, sharp points and thick, dark lines, but a lot of the cast have elements of this mixed into their designs. In comparison, their hair and clothes are drawn quite softly and there's actually a fair bit of variety in their fashions. I do like how Amane is distinguished not just by her face, but by having her wear a lot of black (something that turns out to be another trait her siblings share).
This stands out because unlike a lot of traditionally published manga, this series is printed in full color. Sorato emphasizes the romantic mood of the story by using a lot of soft pinks and peaches. Even the darker or more neutral shades have the same warm tint to them and it lends the whole series an unique sort of beauty.
PRESENTATION:
Sadly, the letterer isn't translated here, which is a shame because whomever handled it for this book knocked it out of the park with their choice of font colors and size to communicate characters and to distinguish Amane's mutterings, inner thoughts, and moods. It meshes beautifully with the color art.
I also appreciate the effort that the folks at Denpa put into the presentation of the book itself. The cover not only has fancy French flaps, but also little extra comics printed in print on the inside. Say what you will for the content, this might be one of the most attractively put-together looking volumes published all year.
RATING:
The Girl With the Sanpaku Eyes is a bit of a trifle story-wise, but good color design and presentation makes it a lovely series to look at. Seasoned shojo fans might not stick around for this one, but this would serve as a good starter series for teen readers looking to get into it.
This series is published by Denpa Books. This series is ongoing in Japan with 2 volumes available. 1 volume has been published and is currently in print.
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