Otaku x Gal Volume 2 Review

Otaku x Gal got off to an entertaining start when it debuted earlier this year, but it was hard to escape the fact there are a lot of titles out there with a similar premise. And the question on my mind was: will Volume 2 do more to set it apart from the crowd? Let’s find out!

As we reunite with Otakura and Narumi, we find them having just reached the golden week holidays. Otakura has only been a high school student for a month, but he’s looking forward to diving into his backlog of games, anime and unbuilt model kits. However, before he can immerse himself in his hobbies, he receives a text from Narumi, who invites him and her best friend Riko on a shopping trip to check out the spring fashion trends.

At first Otakura wants to refuse, but the girls point out that he needs a normal wardrobe if he wants to continue hiding his ‘otakuness’, so in the end he tags along. And surprisingly, the girls learn he has great fashion sense when it comes to picking out clothes for them! They’ll just ignore that it’s due to designing his female avatars in the games he plays… And the shopping trip isn’t the end; his golden week ends up filled with a trip to karaoke and to the local pool.

For better or worse, these are the kinds of stereotypical high school activities you’d expect from a series like this. It’s certainly fun watching over the characters, but it feels like there’s a lack of depth. The thing that stands out the most here is that the author 138neco goes out of their way to subvert the usual otaku stereotypes, although perhaps not as directly as they could.

Otakura might be deep into anime and games, but really he’s an ordinary high school boy, and it’s almost a shame that the story constantly tries to paint him as something else with the various jabs about his otakuness or being an otaku. And don’t get me wrong, these aren’t mean-spirited, but it just doesn’t feel like there’s a point to it, and it actively goes against the idea of showing he’s no different to anyone else. Being an otaku is a term that Otakura is comfortable with, and that’s fine; I think that’s something you can use in regard to yourself without it being degrading. The problem is how the rest of the cast wields the term.

Things aren’t faring much better when it comes to the romance, either. It’s clear Narumi has some feelings for Otakura, but she’s completely oblivious to them. And then there’s Riko, who also seems to have feelings for him, so we’ve gotten into a love-triangle situation with no real course toward resolving it. Hopefully that will change as the series goes on, especially as this is based on a web novel so the story structure isn’t going to be the same as a traditional manga would be.

Still, if you’re not opposed to the somewhat generic storylines, this is still an engaging and light-hearted read. The characters are plenty charming, and I still really like Souchu’s artwork, which is spirited and does a good job of bringing the cast to life. Narumi is very animated and depicted in a similar fashion to Shinichi Fukuda’s portrayal of Marin in My Dress-Up Darling, which I love.

Otaku x Gal comes to the West thanks to Square Enix Manga and continues to be translated by Caleb D. Cook, with lettering by Finn K. The release reads well and includes a colour page at the beginning, which is always a welcome addition.

There are six volumes of this available in Japanese so far, while here in English #3 is scheduled for a release in September with #4 following in November. Things seem to be speeding up a bit now compared to when it debuted.

Overall Otaku x Gal Volume 2 feels like it’s lacking in depth for the story and cast, but it remains a light and enjoyable read for the most part. I think this is still tough to recommend above other similar titles due to how little it’s doing to set itself apart, but if you enjoyed the first book or particularly enjoy these premises, then it’s certainly still worth your time.

A free preview can be read on the Square Enix website.
Our review copy from Square Enix Manga was supplied by Turnaround Comics (Turnaround Publisher Services).

©138neco / Souchu / SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD