It’s been a long time since I’ve typed these words, (4 years, in fact)  but here we are, reading Ichigo Mashimaro, Volume 7 (苺ましまろ).

In those four years, two things have changed for Chika and her friends: One – Chika’s become a pretty damn good comedian in her own right and; Two – Miu’s skills using everyone and everything around her as a prop has soared to transcendent heights.

Volume 7 features, almost exclusively, the two of them committing sublime acts of comedy.  Anna functions mostly as Matsuri’s keeper and occasional kuroko. Nobue plays the same role for Chika. This volume is the Chi & Mi Comedy Hour…and don’t you forget it.

The first chapters are pure manzai in a time warp. The teacher yells at Miu for something, Miu responds with boke precision and Chika supplies alternative punchlines.  Same gag over and over, different punchlines. For *pages.*

Several chapters are retellings of well-known stories, Mashimaro style. Momotarou never looked so petulant, and Mario has never been so cruel to Princess Peach. And there are several classic ensemble-style chapters, including a precious one where the Chika and Miu pair are held up as foils to the Anna and Matsuri pair. Who reigns supreme at the end of the chapter depends on how boring you are – or not. ^_^

The  chapter where Miu is drawing special and sound effects on transparencies then holding them up, so we can “see” the effects is laugh out loud hilarious.

It’s all fun and games, but the highlight for me was a short gag in when we see exactly who Chika has become. Drunk Nobue comes home and is drunk. Chika stands up, and offers her a seat in the VIP section. Nobue staggers in. Chika closes the closet door on her and returns to watching TV with Miu. It’s only a few pages, but it’s an epiphany.

Ratings:

Art – 8 For the visual gag chapter alone
Story – 6
Characters –  Miu and Chika steal this volume – 9 for them, 5 for everyone else
Yuri –  2
Service – 7 (Same old underwear gags and lots of dress up and strange poses)

Overall – 8 When it’s funny, it’s really funny.

Miu ‘s dying words as a crossword puzzle for the win.