THE HIT BOYS' LOVE ROM-COM RETURNS!The moment Nakamura saw his classmate Hirose, he fell head-over-heels for the other boy. Nakamura eventually worked up the nerve to talk to him, and the two even became friends. But being so buddy-buddy with his crush is a whole new kind of torture for the shy and awkward Nakamura! Can he keep it together and not scare Hirose off?!
He~ey, I never led you on, your memory is wrong / Said you're like my brother, yeah, you’re my brother, yeah (Friendzone – UMI).
More like Damn, You Whiffed Your Second Chance Too, Nakamura!! am I right? Like, come on dude, you didn’t even go for it in the first one, so how can we act like the word “again” is even a part of the conversation? Okay but really, what exactly are we doing with this series and where do we go from here? Because I read Go For It, Nakamura!! as a padawan homosexual and loved the relatable, yet hilarious hi-jinks our protagonist Nakamura was constantly getting into. In fact, I even enjoyed the open-ended ending that closes on them deciding to be friends rather than anything overtly romantic. It was cool and made sense to these characters, so it should come as no surprise that when it was announced they were bringing the series back after years of hiatus, I dove right into this second installment at a moment’s notice. You would think we'd have an easy home run on our hands as I assumed we were going to explore the friendship stage of their relationship considering such a premise would leave more than enough room for those classic wacky situations the first volume was known for while also adding a new dynamic to keep things fresh. In that sense, I’m sure you could picture my disappointment in realizing that this long-awaited second foray into Nakamura’s gay ass journey really is mostly a rehash of the first one again. I mean, I’m aware that the nature of these kinds of manga is that there will never be any character development that sticks because they’re built in that specific sitcom kind of way that’s specifically written to leave the door open for hundreds and hundreds of chapters… but unless my research is faulty, then there’s really no indication that this manga is going to continue. Why not give us a real ending if you're not even planning to continue the series!? As it stands, this is where we’re leaving off on? The introduction of a new romantic rival (who’s a man, indicating that Nakamura’s affections could potentially be returned) and several chapters of Nakamura and Hirose having barely interacted at all? Man, that blows. Because maybe friendship means something different in Anime land, but unless you’re Ron Swanson, then almost never talking to your buddy even when you see each other every day usually just means that you’re probably acquaintances instead.
And unless you’re The Weeknd, then being acquaintances means you’re not getting any action either! “To say that we're in love is dangerous, but girl I'm so glad we're acquainted, woah.” So yeah, just to reiterate, I'm aware that the endless jerking around is what you’re signing up for when you read a manga like this, but there also has to be something interesting to keep us reading the darn thing, right? Some kind of promise to where the author reassures us that the story's going somewhere! let’s get serious for a moment, please. “S.E.R.I.O.U.S, Baby, let's get serious. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yee~aah.” Yup, that was two song lyrics in a row, I can’t help that I listen to music while I’m reading manga! If nothing else, reading Go For It, Nakamura!! again did make me appreciate how lucky I am to have a plethora of queer books that are strictly love stories to indulge in because if often feels like all we ever get are “conversion therapy movie” or “guy endlessly pines after straight guy manga.” You know, we only ever get Serious Movies™ to sink our teeth into. I get that people (like author Adam Silvera) think that never-ending disappointment and harsh realities are the only future for queer folk, but it’s also nice when a story dares to ask the question, “well, what if we have love to look forward to?” instead. Moving on though, I was really hoping we’d get to see more of Nakamura and Hirose interacting (as friends, or you know, just at all) because then I’d be able to glean whether or not these two would be good together even without taking comparable sexualities into account. As you've probably noticed by the wariness in my tone, I’ve finally gotten around to watching Obsession, and hey, it’s one of the greatest horror films I’ve seen in recent memory (see how I called it a “film” rather than a “movie? That’s how you know!), but while it was pretty scary, it mostly just made me sad. Sure, you’ve got all these dudes talking about how freaky Nikki was and how they’ve dealt with their fair share of “crazy girlfriends,” but I really don’t know how you can walk away from the film without seeing Bear as the unambiguous bad guy of the story. He’s the one who’s obsessed! And in his disregard of Nikki’s bodily autonomy, he manages to completely ruin his life and the lives of all the people around him.What I loved about the movie is the fact that it takes a premise that is usually used in lighthearted romantic comedies and pushes it to the most horrific conclusion possible.
The thing is, a lot of people mistake a man who’s quiet with a man who’s nice. The thoughtful man, the respectful man, when in reality they might just be sitting their seething with rage. You never know! I guess what I’m getting at here is that I don’t really find the prospect of unrequited love in stories (or real life) all that romantic anymore, and I found that I had considerably less sympathy towards Nakamura’s yearning in this installment than before. Sure, he's young and still figuring things out, and he even gets a lot more leeway due to the added layer of queer folk having to live their lives in secret, but I still thought that a lot of the jokes around his borderline obsessive actions regarding Hirose were kind of creepy. Sniffing people when they sleep is some horror movie type shit, my guy, get your hormones in check and stop being a weirdo! And Nakamura’s actions throughout this particular outing were especially baffling because these two are supposed to be friends at this point, so why don’t they even talk!? Bleh… story-wise, Go For It Again, Nakamura!! was a bit of a dud because this guy can work up the nerve to be a pervert, but not enough to hold a casual conversation? And look, I know he’s supposed to be an introvert and I truly think having Nakamura “growing out of his shyness” is definitely the wrong direction to take this manga, but we’ve got to characterize him back into sympathetic territory. Because as of now, I cannot sanction his buffoonery! I mean, what even is Nakamura's personality? He's in love with Hirose... and that's it. I'm just saying, this level of one-note obsession isn't healthy regardless of whether or not he ends up boyfriends and in love with this dude. In my perfect world, the only way to improve this series exponentially is for Nakamura to find other people outside of his crush on Hirose that he actually gets along with in order to curb his intense crush a little bit, and then the conclusion could even end with him realizing that being friends with the guy he’s been in love with all these years isn’t actually all that bad after all. Hey, people always use the prospect of being in “the friendzone” in a derogatory way, but I think there’s something powerful in true friendship that you often can't even find in romantic love. You’ve got a friend in me, right?
“This is Nakamura Okuta, sixteen years old. He’s a healthy high school boy. He’s also introverted and gay.”
"Because i still support him... if he does find someone. Because Hirose deserves the world and i wish him nothing but happiness!!"
Nakamura Okuto, cậu học sinh trung học tính tình nhút nhát, yêu quý lũ bạch tuột. Và Nakamura đã yêu cậu bạn cùng lớp Hirose Aiki. Go For It Again, Nakamura!: 2 là nối tiếp những gì đã xảy ra trong Vol.1 Go For It, Nakamura!, Nakamura và Hirose đã trở thành bạn, nhưng liệu Nakamura có bày tỏ tình cảm với Hirose không?
Vẫn là những nét vẽ xinh xắn, đáng yêu mang phong cách của thập niên trước. Kết hợp với những tình huống oái oăm dở khóc dở cười, trong Vol.2 này mình thấy độ "biến thái" của Nakamura tăng lên :))) Có thêm sự xuất hiện của các nhân vật mới, các nhân vật cũ trở nên thân thiết hơn.
Oh, nhưng mình tiếc là Go For It Again, Nakamura!: 2 không thể tròm 4☆. Vol.2 vẫn khiến mình thấy xả stress, mắc cười, Nakamura và Hirose trở nên thân thiết hơn. Nhưng thay vì cho mình biết Hirose có biết tình cảm của Nakamura chưa? Tác giả lại đẩy thêm những tình tiết khiến mình hoài nghi ở mối quan hệ giữa Hirose và thầy giáo.
does this only have nine chapters? i really can't find anything else anywhere. okay so... no. i mean, i liked the first volume but i was disappointed since it was so short. when it comes to that, this one is even worse. the story barely progresses and there isn't much that's new. plus the weird relationship between hirose and the teacher is just a huge no for me. it's still cute and fun, but that's about all there is to this volume.
So, I absolutely loved the first book and thought it was adorable but also a breath of fresh air for BL manga. Nakamura's crush on Hirose was cute and his desire to just be friends with his crush was admirable. It was a sweet and relatable story.
However, this sequel is wildly disappointing. Nothing from the first book is built up here and it felt like a huge waste of time. Nakamura and Hirose have very few interactions here and the ones that do happen are average at best. This sequel is strangely off-kilter like the author didn't know what they wanted to do with the story. It's really a shame because it's such a simple premise that just needed some expansion. For example, why don't we get any chapters with Nakamura and Hirose hanging out? Instead, we get some ick factors such as Nakamura debating with Hirose old friend about objects they both secretly kept of Hirose. That's not a fun thing to read.
Additionally, there is a really unnecessary and borderline creepy implication between Hirose and his teacher. At first, I thought the story was implying that Hirose has a small crush on his male teacher and realizes that he might be queer too just like Nakamura. And that maybe in the future Nakamura would have a chance with his crush. But, the story doesn't go in that direction. Instead, they imply there is a mildly inappropriate relationship between him and his teacher. It's sketchy that a teacher would allow a student to have their personal phone number or give a student a ride in their car. Thankfully, they leave that fairly vague but it's still icky and I don't understand the purpose of it. It brings nothing to the story.
And that's kind of the problem with this sequel; there's no point. If the author does another book for this series, I'm not sure I would be interested enough to read it. It's a damn shame, but I rather just reread the first book and pretend this one never happened.
Cute, but idk, it didn't really grab me like the first one did. Feels more like random vignettes that just kind of set up a humorous situation and don't really resolve them or advance a relationship or overall plot.
If you like the first volume, here's more of the same. Except the sweet and pleasant crush seems a little more stalker-y and creepy at times, especially with a running gag about sniffing gym clothes. Otherwise its all comfortable fluff and tropes like love triangles, accidentally getting locked up together, or a nighttime bravery challenge in a supposedly haunted area of the school.
If a third volume ever comes along I will need it to do something about wrapping up the series or finally advancing the plot.
still very cute and adorable but some points off because of the suspicious teacher… like i know it’s probably a misunderstanding but until then i’m watching that guy 🤨
Nakamura sigue sin poder acercarse a Hirose y lo malo es que su amor sigue ahí pero ahora habrá ciertos "obstáculos " que tendrá que enfrentar.
Me gusto la trama, es de esas historias que son ligeritas y divertidas por todas las situaciones cómicas que se van desarrollando...aunque la verdad me dejo con una duda ...bueno dos. Si habrá un nuevo tomo y si es así si me van a sacar de la duda que onda con él Sensei Otogori
Ngl I was so disappointed in this😭😭😭 I thought there would be some development in hiroses and nakamuras relationship but the story was going nowhere. Honestly it kind of regressed. That added with the student x teacher plot going on and how nakamura is lowkey kind of a weirdo with this weird obsession he has with someone he barely knows. It was not that bad in the first volume but it was really just weird in this one. It honestly made me feel a bit uncomfortable. This volume had funny moments but other then that it was definitely not as good as the first one which is so sad because I really liked the first one😭😭
this series is a very funny, comforting, and short story to indulge in. going through a bit of a slump, i feel a bit more productive reading this. i adore our protagonist nakamura and his quiet, antisocial yet caring personality. although he may exhibit some strange, questionable behavior toward his crush, he wants nothing but hirose's happiness in the end. he yearns for reciprocation, but also understands that it is highly unlikely for that to happen due to being gay (which is sadly a reality for many queer youth). he settles for being his friend, which is both wholesome yet unfortunate. i think this manga nicely portrays what it's like to be closeted and in love in high school in a comical, relatable way. however, there were some minor things that rubbed me the wrong way. for example, the ongoing relationship between hirose and their homeroom teacher was a bit questionable, as it was previously alluded that hirose may have a crush on him. although, he says he's just inspired, the constant gazes and blushing that happen are a little unnecessary in my opinion?? i would understand if it were just a sweet mentor-pupil type relationship, but there are some instances where they seem a little too close for my liking. i wouldn't have a problem with it if it weren't for the previous volume (maybe im just overthinking idk). not to mention the group of girls that call themselves 'fujoshis', which was also a bit questionable but at least it's acknowledged and poked fun at.
In all honesty, this was a disappointing sequel. This volume hardly enriches the story in any conceivable sense. My opinion remains unchanged; similar to the previous volume, it is cute. That being said, there’s only so much you can achieve with cuteness. It felt narratively choppy and pointless, like a tepid filler segment. Numerous chapters end on an abrupt note. The volume’s ending did not even wrap up the story in any way, shape or form. The concluding chapter quite frankly felt like every chapter within the story, so much so that I had to double-check whether there was any chapter(s) left for me to read, but alas. . . I think the author does not have a solid, crystallized story to tell. It’s just a somewhat confusing array of random interactions between a cast of underdeveloped characters that ultimately does not coalesce into something concrete and comprehensible. If anything, it’s a solid palate cleanser to squeeze into your reading journey.
didn't really like it as much as the first one. I thought they could work on their relationship a little more. I thought there could be more development in their relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book was crazy! A lot more happened in this volume compared to the first addition, and I can’t say I liked it better than the first.
I feel like this volume was just a bit all over the place, because a ton happened, and I wish we got to see more, or at least one main instance of the main characters getting closer, instead where every chapter had a separate main focus.
This edition was still super good, and kept the same vibe as before! I just wish we got to see a little more, and it kept up some more of the personal and natural feel as before, where as this volume was a bit hectic, and the cliffhanger is crazy!!
Nonetheless I really hope there will be a third edition in the future!!!
Francamente, per me questo volume poteva anche non esistere. Carino, fa ridere. Ma alcune cotte buttate lì a caso. Non so, non mi dice nulla a distanza di un giorno dalla conclusione. Il primo volume ASSOLUTAMENTE SÌ, questo anche no.
I liked the first volume more. This volume didn’t have as much of a story, but it was still super cute and funny all the way through with such a nice artstyle !
This was super cute!! I loved the first volume and am so happy the series is continuing! I hope we get to see even more of Nakamura and Hirose in the next one!
Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh! Why was this so incredibly sweet and wholesome? I want to punch someone, this was so cute!
It’s all about a crush and the creepy guy who just watches him on the daily. Like it should be illegal, but it’s just sweet! I want to pinch their cheeks!!!!
Also, there is this weird relationship between a teacher and student that I feel coming and I hate it already.