We Were There, vol. 2

The story: Nana has a crush on popular guy Yano, but he's constantly picking on her in school. When she finally 'fesses to her feelings, all she gets is an ambiguous response in return. But, in this volume, Yano's behavior is explained with flashbacks to memories with his now-dead, ex-girlfriend. From the start of their friendship to her death in a car accident, Yano's emotions run the gamut. But, things change and he admits to his new feelings for Nana; she's understandably elated. But, can they overcome Yano's troubled romantic past, or is Nana forever doomed to live in the shadow of his ex?

Reaction: This is not your standard shojo fare. Where other high school romances run the comedic route, We Were There uncomfortably settles into bittersweet reality. There's a dark place where Yano's personality escapes to and, at times, it's painstaking to watch Nana try to help him while simultaneously being pushed away. But, there's something to be said for Nana's seemingly unending capacity and determination to love Yano; it's an optimism you have to have a certain sense of maturity to truly appreciate.

Deep thoughts: In 2006, We Were There won the 50th Shogakukan Award, which is given annually by Shogakukan Publishing. Interestingly, the award is not exclusive to the company's works. Shogakukan, which started the awards in 1957, is part of one of the largest publishing conglomerates in Japan, Hitotsobashi Group. Along with Shuiesha, also part of the Hitotsobashi Group, Shogakukan also owns Viz Media (and We Were There publisher) in the U.S.

Artwork: As I've said before, there are some visual reminders of Monkey High! in terms of character design. But, more often than not, there are blushing cheeks, mildly humorous classroom scenes and respectfully illustrated serious moments. The art is even-handed in terms of "shojoness" and never veers into the extremes of screentone addiction or ridiculously floating flowers -- it's simply not that kind of manga.

The verdict: Highly recommended. There's a certain tenderness of youth here, with an edge of cynicism. Sure, there's time to appreciate romance, but it's a double-edged sword, too -- love can bring pain. Thankfully, this series only skates on the edges of melodrama and instead reveals a compelling teenage relationship that adults can appreciate. We Were There is available in the U.S. from Viz.

We Were There, vol. 1

The story: It's the first day of high school for Nanami Takahashi and she's determined to make new friends. But, things don't go exactly as planned -- plenty of people already know each other, so she feels left out. Then there's Motoharu Yano, the most popular guy in class -- he has plenty of friends (and fans), not to mention he does well in school. But, there's something about him that both attracts and repels Nana. What secret could Yano be hiding that explains his behavior towards Nana?

Reaction: It seems like ages that I've been wanting to read this series and when I saw We Were There in Danielle Leigh's recent Comic Book Resources column, I knew I had to get on it! This a slowly paced story that takes a conventional high school romance story line and gives it some dramatic twists. But, they aren't overdone, nor are they unbelievable. In Yano, Yuki Obata has created an anti-hero of sorts; he's someone you reluctantly cheer for. Luckily, Yano is balanced by the cute and undaunted Nana, who has an amazing ability to bounce back from adversity (and Yano's put-downs). It felt like a very natural progression for an unlikely friendship.

Deep thoughts: In this volume, Nana and her classmates go on a field trip with a 26-mile hike, essentially the length of a marathon. Taking anywhere from just over two hours to several hours to complete, marathons were originally created to commemorate the run of a storied Greek messenger, Pheidippides. I'm not sure if participating in marathon-length hikes are regularly a part of Japanese physical education, or simply a convenient plot device, but I can't imagine a marathon being a required school activity in the U.S.

Artwork: The artwork here actually reminded me of another shojo mangaka, Shouko Akira of Monkey High! There's something about Yano's face that makes me think of that book's male protagonist, Macharu (but not his ears). However, perhaps because of this series's more somber tone, the artwork is understated in comparison to other shojo comics. There's no floating flowers, inexplicably shining faces or other "shojo sparkles." Instead, there are quietly poignant moments, embarrassed looks and blushing cheeks, much better reflecting reality.

The verdict: Highly recommended. There is an earnestness in We Were There that is both admirable and worth watching. Obata has created characters that are multi-faceted; there's no perfect, nor truly horrible, people. And there's not only the usual depth of feeling that comes part-and-parcel in shojo manga, but there's also breadth of emotion, something rarely seen and done this well. We Were There is available in the U.S. from Viz.