Yesterday I went to Borders to get Chobits 5 and once again was drawn to Kashimashi, which I looked at last time but wasn't sure about. The basic plot is this: a boy called Hasumu is rejected by his crush, goes up to the mountains to brood over it, only to have a spaceship crash into him. The alien manages to revive him, but somehow turns him into a girl. Not only does the crush turn out to like Hasumu better this way, but Hasumu's childhood friend/neighbour starts to develop romantic feelings for him/her too. As if that wasn't complicated enough, the aliens decide to move in with Hasumu's family in order to learn about love.

It's the kind of thing that could turn out to be a very cute, romantic comedy, but could just as easily be repetitive, cliched with little development. I read the first few pages in Starbucks and decided to take a chance on it. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed this first volume. There are plenty of running gags, but they're funny and don't detract from the serious side of the romance, which turns out to be quite touching. Despite the sci-fi elements and the fact that it's kind of hard to picture sensitive, gentle Hasumu ever being a boy, the developing emotions of the three main girls are believable and never over-played for the sake of humour or drama. I am looking forward to seeing how this love triangle works itself out.

As this is only a five volume series, hopefully the romance will continue to develop tenderly and believably, and not be pushed aside in favour of clichéd farce, as is the fate of many promising romantic comedies. Fingers crossed.

(I also picked up the latest Tokyo Sneaks and really enjoyed the Star Trek manga preview. Going to have to get that next time.)