Flower in a Storm: Volume 2

by Shigeyoshi Takagi, 190 pages

Ran and Riko's love faces external complications from rival suitors, an evil executive, renewed assassination attempts, and Ran's taxing work schedule, as well as internal roadblocks in the form of waffling emotions and second thoughts. Will the high school pair ever make it to the altar (alive)?

The first volume of this shojo manga title may have been fluffy entertainment, but at least it was entertaining. Sadly, I don't know that I can say the same for this second (and final) volume, which is choppy and inconsistent in both story and characterization as it tries, unsuccessfully, to be weirdly serious while still dishing out the comedy. When side characters from the first volume resurface, you get the feeling it's only because they conveniently already exist and therefore save the author the trouble of creating new ones. And the few new characters that are introduced are just poorly executed stereotypes played straight. I think the author forgot that she was making fun of the genre's more tired clichés and started committing them in earnest. :(

If you're like me and can't pass up the promise of spiffy art, read the sufficiently self-contained first one and stop there, as the concluding sequel doesn't make the grade. To be fair, this is the author's first published graphic novel series, so maybe the next one will be an improvement. She's got potential, but she's not there yet.