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Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi’s greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who decides to step out of his comfort zone in order to help her achieve her goal of making 100 friends.

It’s Valentine’s Day again, and Itan High is a chocolatsravaganza! But while most of the students are giving out goodies to celebrate friendships, Komi and Manbagi have a different goal—Tadano’s heart! But do either of them have the courage to actually tell him that…?

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2021

87 people are currently reading
674 people want to read

About the author

Tomohito Oda

70 books363 followers
ODA Tomohito
Name (in native language): 小田智仁
Associated Names: オダトモヒト

Tomohito Oda won the grand prize for World Worst One in the 70th Shogakukan New Comic Artist Awards in 2012. Oda’s series Digicon, about a tough high school girl who finds herself in control of an alien with plans for world domination, ran from 2014 to 2015.

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5 stars
992 (66%)
4 stars
393 (26%)
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94 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
Profile Image for Mark.
2,680 reviews253 followers
August 9, 2023
”You may be normal, but you’re special to me.”

Valentine’s Day rears its dramatic head once more, this time fuelled by Manbagi’s intention to confess to Tadano when she hands over her chocolate. But can you get what you want and still come out on the losing end of it?

Sometimes this manga is okay, sometimes it is very good, and, when it truly needs to be, it can be utterly brilliant. And when it comes to the climax of shredding poor Manbagi’s dreams of Tadano, it handles the situation with more aplomb than I would have granted it capable of.

The poor girl’s confession is dragged over several chapters of Valentine’s Day antics, including another heartbreaker of a moment between Naruse and Ase (hammer well deserved). I liked how they can’t seem to find a traditional confession spot because they’re all in use too.

What I really loved about this is that it gives Manbagi exactly what she wants, but she’s mature enough to know that it’s not, truly, what Tadano wants and she gently pushes him to confront that, even if it crushes her dreams in the process. It was an out that I didn’t see coming, plus it gives her that line I opened the review with, which is just so… perfectly put.

This results in Tadano forcing Komi’s hand, who was too nervous herself, and this leads to a very, very sweet series of panels as the coupling officially begins. Which also pays off later when the two are now dating but can barely maintain eye contact without melting down in a great series of short chapters.

And it turns out that being as boisterous (read: loud) as she is, Manbagi’s pain does not exist in a vacuum. Her support group is amazing and she gets closure with both Tadano and Komi (the latter section gives the mangaka an excuse for a boob shot that I appreciate the story at least literally admits he just wanted to draw).

Toss in a hilarious section where Tadano’s sister completely mis-deduces who gave her brother which chocolates, plus an ancient proverb that sums up Najimi’s character in one fell swoop and you have basically the perfect volume of this series.

Almost.

Please be advised that my usual rant about Yamai will now occur, so you can avoid the next couple paragraphs if you feel you’ve gotten the gist with the last dozen or more volumes.

I’ve never seen a manga so quickly burn through an incredible amount of accumulated goodwill as this one does with the Yamai chapters. I’m sorry, jokes about date rape drugs are NOT funny and, exaggerated for effect or no, I just cannot even.

It’s even more annoying because this is perilously close to being a great chapter itself, as Komi tries to acknowledge Yamai while also letting her down gently. As usual, the latter is written with the grace of a mud-spattered hog on a freshly made bed and it deftly soured me far more than was necessary.

Sigh. Anyway, adjust your ratings based on your tolerance. I think it’s fair to say that Yamai is one of my most-loathed characters in manga history just because she often ruins an otherwise great series, case in point. She’s just a walking sexual assault joke and, well, no thanks. It’s even worse when the surrounding material is so incredibly strong.

4 stars - it is really, really annoying that the whole love triangle got resolved in a way that I unreservedly enjoyed with some of the best writing this story has done, and it’s funny to boot, then it just has to bring in the black fly in the Chardonnay. Sadly, that dragged me totally out of the story, but, if you do not care about such things, I think the manga’s rarely been better.
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,102 reviews266 followers
March 11, 2023
omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg OMG OMG OMG OMG

Team Komi and Team Manbagi: Steel yourselves! Moment of truth!

Love is confessed!

A crush is crushed!

omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg OMG OMG OMG OMG
Profile Image for Anna  Quilter.
1,432 reviews42 followers
June 1, 2023
Yes ! Finally a turning point in the strange but compelling love triangle that is Komi....Tadano and Manbagi.
Worth the wait.
Profile Image for Umairah (Sereadipity).
276 reviews127 followers
November 9, 2022
FINALLY IT TOOK 302 CHAPTERS BUT WE GOT THERE LET'S GO!!! KOMI AND TADANO I LOVE YOU MY CUTIES!

AND I will not stand for anyone hating on Manbagi Rumiko this girl is too precious for the world and she deserves all the good things in life.
Profile Image for N Dorville.
144 reviews1 follower
April 19, 2022
Well it was quite along ride, longer than what Love is War took, but we started from the start and we got there folks!
Profile Image for Lori CucVig.
1,032 reviews2 followers
February 14, 2024
È successooooo. Io l'ho perfino letto il giorno di San Valentino. Vabbè. Sono felice di come è stato scritto. Naturalmente la storia non è conclusa per fortuna. Il bello di questa storia è che tutti i personaggi sono incredibili, quindi è sempre interessante leggere tutto. Ed ora... vedremo...
Profile Image for Zuli.
212 reviews55 followers
July 15, 2025
I can't believe I made it to here
Profile Image for Tsuki Pop.
36 reviews
July 16, 2025
SHOSUKE. SECOND PANEL OF PAGE 171. yes the emotion in this volume were wonderful as well and i would give 6 stars if i couldnt but cant ANYWAY SHOSUKE MY BABY BOYYY. PAGE 179 PANEL THREE AND FOURTH RUMIKO IF YOU DONT LEAVE MY ANGEL OF A BOY ALONE ILL KILL YOU MYSELF I HATE YOU. 180 PANEL ONE TWO AND FOUR MY LOVELY ATTRACTIVE BOYYYYY. 184 MY BABBBYYYYYYY IN THE FOURTH PANEL. 188 shosuke mentioned, 189 PANEL 3 SILLLYYYY BOYYYYY
Profile Image for Jan.
22 reviews4 followers
January 7, 2024
After 22 Volumes filled with slow burning awkward but growing tender teenage feelings from the main characters, we FINALLY come the big emotional pay off!

In Japan, girls give boys and people they like chocolate on Valentine's Day and so after a comedic montage of Komi giving everyone BUT Tadano chocolate, Manbagi gathers her courage and confesses to Tadano that she wants to be his girlfriend. He nervously accepts but despite getting everything she wants, Manbagi suspects he isn't being totally honest and presses upon him that he needs to be sure in his choice. This utterly selfless act encourages Tadano to tearfully admit although he likes Manbagi a lot, he's completely smitten with someone else and always has been. He just feels so unworthy of being with her romantically because she's the class Goddess and he's Mr Average.

Upon hearing this Manbagi makes the difficult decision to yet again sacrifice her own happiness for her friends and encourages Tadano to seek out Komi (as if it wasn't obvious) and tell her his true feelings. She practically chases him out the classroom to do so.

What follows is a super awkward but heartfelt confession between Tadano and Komi (who kept a hold of his homemade chocolate out of nerves and accidentally melted it) that is beautifully illustrated in large emotionally impacting full panel pages. The cover of this volume is actually one of them in colour.

It's a lovely succession of scenes and of course Komi accepts with her quiet understated little nod before they both practically run away from each other blushing.

The ensuing chapters explore the aftermath of such a big life changing event in both funny and dramatic ways.

Manbagi finds the entire class had stayed behind to eavesdrop on her confession (they all overheard her loud proclamation to Komi the other day) and everyone admires her courage and commiserate with her loss. Even the Germphobe Mallet Girl gives her a tearful hug! They all take Manbagi out to cheer her up and show their support.

Yandere Girl gets super upset that the object of her obsession has a boyfriend now and has a mini-murderous meltdown. Her long suffering friends keep a wary eye on her but it is thanks to Komi's visit that she reluctantly accepts her new reality and even begrudgingly compliments Komi's choice in boys. She's not the most popular character in the roster but I personally find her freaking hilarious. Her licking Komi's teacup after she's gone despite her other friends still BEING there, cracked me up. That kind of unhinged dark humour always appeals to me.

There's some lovely closure with Komi and Manbagi where they have a sleepover at Komi's house and further cement their friendship together that ends in a tickle fight. Only Manbagi could bring out the rowdy teenager hidden deep within Komi!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Aaron.
1,015 reviews41 followers
June 5, 2023
It took roughly 23 volumes, 300 chapters, and more than 4,350 pages of content, but readers have finally summit the mountain of shounen anxiety they first encountered years ago.

KOMI CAN'T COMMUNICATE v23 is the payoff. Everybody blushes. Everybody cries. Everybody complains. And everybody shows a little bit of growth in the end. Manbagi's affection for Tadano hits a speedbump when confronted with the ironclad reality that he has eyes for someone else. She knew this, of course, but that doesn't make the reality any easier to tolerate. Heartbreak is heartbreak.

As for Tadano himself, readers are well aware how the young man has been dancing around his affection for the goddess of the classroom since the beginning. One might find it unfortunate it takes Manbagi's heartbreak to push Tadano toward romantic fulfillment, but life is like that sometimes. Tadano is neither confident nor self-assured, and his meek, self-deprecating sense of awareness is both an asset as well as a crutch. But beneath the veneer, Mr. Average is actually pretty cool. And when he finally confesses to Komi, it's only right that he receives as much criticism as he does well-wishing.

This volume excels elsewhere, too. Isagi, for example, makes good on a promise to herself to start living with fewer regrets. The student council president and resident germaphobe spearheads the manga's newly prescient theme of female friendship when she actively consoles a weary Manbagi. Support networks are vital, and the core of this volume rests on validating this truth for individuals whose openness and vulnerability know no end.

KOMI CAN'T COMMUNICATE v23 is an exhale and a warm embrace, as Yamai (obsessive girl) learns the value of letting go, Katai (muscle guy) actively weeps for his master, and Osana broadcasts to the world her latest research on the obviousness of teenage romance in the modern era.
Profile Image for Debbiwithnoe.
170 reviews9 followers
August 28, 2023
I love “Komi Can’t Communicate”. I was introduced to it via the Netflix anime and was desperate to know what happens in Komi and Tadano’s second year of High School. I was not disappointed! Komi’s goal to make 100 friends is such a sweet journey and Tadano is just the cutest character. I love characters that are shy and quiet because I relate to them more. Later in the series other characters are obviously introduced, some that I’m not too keen on, not because they are bad characters, I’m just not a fan of them.
Profile Image for daniella ❦.
119 reviews
July 27, 2024
- another year, another valentines day where komi gives everybody but tadano chocolates and he tries not to lose his mind over it
- ase giving naruse chocolates!!
- RAHHHH RUMI CONFESSED
- MY HEART IS BEATING SO FAST RN LIKE TADANO LISTING ALL THE THINGS HE LIKES ABOUT RUMI AND THEN ACCEPTING HER CONFESSION IM SO FKDJHFKDJSD
- "will you regret dating me?" rumi girl stop don't do this
- "you may be normal but you're special to me" fighting tears rn
- tadano holding rumi's hand and crying and apologising to her im so heartbroken rn
- rumi crying and isagi coming in to hug and comfort her and the whole class rolling up to comfort her is just so cute awe rumi you are so loved
- komi giving the chocolates <3
- TADANO CONFESSES HFDKJSHFKSJHFKSDH I THREW THE BOOK ACROSS MY ROOM
- AW KOMI CALLING RUMI RIGHT AFTER
- tadano is such a good guy, like he really handles this so well knowing how delicate of a situation it is just his ability to be so perceptive is so admirable
- RAHHHH THEYRE DATING
- "i promise to make you happy" "i know you will" IM SO
- NOT NAJIMI IMMEDIATELY CLOCKING THEM
- katai crying aw
- rip yamai ren
- "let me protect you! i'm your boyfriend!" my heart can't take this anymore
- i think i actually am emoyama
- yamai ren...
- aw tadano and komi both being so nervous and cute around each other
- rumi and komi sleepover!!
- ugh i loved this so much

actual footage of me reading this volume:
 me flying off the walls reading this
Profile Image for Lovelymisanthrope.
820 reviews
July 2, 2024
I picked this up as part of my continuation of this series.
“Komi Can’t Communicate, Vol. 23” continues to follow Komi and her new friends during their high school years. It is once again Valentine’s Day, and everyone wants to know who will get chocolate from Komi. Manbagi and Tadano finally have a heart to heart and discuss their feelings towards one another.
My heart feels so full after reading this volume! Tadano, although he comes across as very confident and outgoing, is really such an awkward person. I think this is a huge part of his charm, and why he is such a good counterpart to Komi.
In this volume, Tadano realizes he does not reciprocate feelings towards Manbagi in the same way she has feelings for him. I am happy that we finally have concrete resolution from the character about what they want, and it was really sweet to see how he handled this situation. He still very much wants to be friends with Manbagi, but he just does not want a relationship, and he feels badly because he feels like he lead her on. This is precious and only highlights his good heart further.
Tadano does realize he has feelings for Komi, which I feel like we all saw coming all along. They do end up both telling each other that they like each other, and they officially start dating. This provides some very awkward instances, but it is just so pure and innocent.
I cannot wait to pick up the next volume and see how this relationship grows!
Profile Image for Rhida.
38 reviews
December 14, 2022
Volume 23 is by far my favorite out of all volumes of Komi Can't Communicate!

This literally made me cry and laugh, one heck of a rollercoaster ride this volume was. The way it was written made me feel like I'm a teenager and experiencing their embarrassment first-hand for confessing to each other.

*a bit of SPOILER so proceed at your own risk! :P
I used to be annoyed at Rumiko and Komi's little thing going on about the whole Tadano crush issue. A bit stretched and felt like it was going to be dragged for a long while, which was then thankfully decided on this volume. As someone rooting for Komi x Tadano, I guess I kind of find it annoying that it seems like it's not even a big deal for them that they both have a crush on the same person? Such martyrs (but I guess my annoyance came from a personal opinion so that's really all on me, no bad blood for the volumes involved ehe). But since Komi and Tadano started dating, I saw Rumiko on a different light. I see now how great of a friend and how soft she really is. Most of my tears actually came from the Rumiko scenes.

Ah! And also the part where Komi and Tadano both tried to protect each other !!! AAAAAA~!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dave Schaafsma.
Author 6 books32.1k followers
March 22, 2023
And so it finally and actually happened. The love triangle of Komi-Tadano-Manbagi, the source of tension for several volumes, in the midst of so much teen social anxiety and inability to express feelings, has led to an actual resolution, with real talk, real admissions, and everyone involved addressed. And on Valentine's Day, with chocolates being passed out everywhere. Lots of drama, lots of tears, some warmth, and some humor. Komi communicates! As does Tadano. And Manbagi.

And no one will be surprised by this outcome. This triangle is what the series has essentially evolved to be about, and not really about Komi "making 100 friends," as she clearly has made enough friends over 23 volumes. Strengths of the series: Fine artwork for humor and subtle emotional shifts, strong characterization. Sweet. But if you suddenly think things will get easy now that "I like you and yes we should date" has been established, take a deep breath, because the two that have expressed these feelings actually seem miserable about what to do now! But this is clearly one of the best volumes of the series, really well done resolution.
Profile Image for Kayla.
1,065 reviews
August 24, 2023
4 stars.

Tadano and Komi are dating! I really liked how the Rumiko confession went and her asking Tadano if he would regret being in a relationship with her. I like that he confessed right away to Komi and didn't deny his feelings or the fact that they are dating to anyone. I also loved seeing the class comfort Rumiko after her rejection (plus the fact that everyone knew about the girls' feelings for Tadano because Rumiko talks really loud) and Rumiko realizing that she has gained so many friends. It was just very sweet and heartwarming. I'm excited to see more of Komi and Tadano dating and how they will be as a couple.

I will forever hate the characterization of Yamai being a creepy, unhinged predator, as well as Oda drawing a scene centered on Rumiko's chest solely because he wanted to draw a minor's chest. Truly does leave a bad taste in my mouth, despite how cute the rest of the series is able to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Recto Jr. Ruiz.
36 reviews
October 9, 2023
I only bought this volume specifically because of a special plot milestone in it. I really love the comedy and romance in it, with some emotional parts. Tomohito Oda really made this series well, and it is the reason I keep reading it till now. My negative opinion about this though is the translation. Being a broke guy from a developing country, I tend to do the wrong thing before buying (sorry, my allowance has limits). While there are some great translations in here, I do feel like the "other" translations are better and funnier. One of the parts I really love was that the other translations refer Komi's admirers as cult members of the "Church of Komi" than in here where it was called a"rabid Komi fanatics". I can't really challenge it as each translator has their own thoughts, at the same time I haven't read the original Japanese text for those dialogues.
Profile Image for Mithun Sarker.
354 reviews2 followers
April 20, 2024
AFTER 22 VOLUMES, IT FINALLY HAPPENED. 23 VOLUMES TOTALLY WORTH IT.

"YOU MAY BE NORMAL, BUT YOU'RE SPECIAL TO ME."

This volume is my favourite one so far. It was simply SO EMOI.

Tadano realizing that he has feelings for Komi, and overcoming the prejudice that he can't be with her is so good. Rumiko confessing and then rooting for Tadano to confess to Komi was blast to read.

This volume was the most wholesome and the funniest of all. It's 4:24am and I was laughing my ass off. The reaction of every other student was delight to read. Yamai being Yamai was 💀.

Too much sweetness might just give me diabetes. Tadano is "WHATTA MAN" for real. Dude has literally no hesitation whatsoever. Hesitation fears Tadano.

"The storm passed, and the land was purified of plague."
-The Gospel of Komi, Verse 14

10/10
Profile Image for Ashe Catlin.
896 reviews7 followers
March 30, 2023
What a beautiful read, it finally happened and it couldn't be more perfect. This is chocked full of emotions, sadness love and so much more. It's great to see the characters finally accept their feelings and seeing the reaction of their friends.

I was taken back when there was a threat of danger and Komi and Tadano both choose to protect each other, it's such a sweet moment that encapsulates who they are.

Profile Image for Đức Nhật.
739 reviews29 followers
August 3, 2023
300 chương, Valentine, hai người đã tỏ tình. Đến lúc bỏ không đọc truyện nữa rồi :v.

Đùa thôi. Một tập nhiều khoảnh khắc ngọt ngào, đồng nghĩa với những fanservice ngập tràn trang giấy (một thứ mình không cần ở tập này). Yamai vẫn làm mình khó chịu như xưa (đến tập này là biến thái quá sức chịu đựng).

Dù sao cũng chúc mừng đôi trẻ đến với nhau. Komi tập này cũng nói chuyện nhiều hơn, hoạt bát và có phần chủ động hơn những tập trước. Một hành trình rất dài và có vẻ như tác giả đã quên mất mục tiêu ban đầu là kiếm 100 người bạn cho cô bạn này. Hơi buồn nhưng mình cũng sẽ chấp nhận vậy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews

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