Oreimo: Kuroneko, Vol. 1

A spin-off series to the wildly popular Oreimo anime and graphic novels, this new series is unlikely to be understood by those unfamiliar with the original. Teen Ruri Gokou, who goes by the name Kuroneko ("Black Cat"), takes human form and attends Kyousuke's high school, taking the place of her little sister Kirino, plucky star of the previous series. As Kuro navigates slice-of-life school events like self-introductions, a crush on a senior boy (Kyousuke), and a pack of little sisters, her odd nature adds fun and inside jokes for those used to the franchise. When she gets the chance to submit a comic to a publisher, Kuro struggles to meet the professional challenge and while Kyousuke finally takes notice of her, an event she meets with impressive audacity. Unfortunately, the story is propped up by gratuitous visual objectification of the female characters, going well beyond fan service and into the uncomfortable. The book itself is hard to read; the visual language is flat and doesn't seem to pair well with the events occurring. It's got a few memorable lines, but "Ah! My Goddess" this is not. (May)