Yuri Manga: Swap⇔Swap, Volume 2 (すわっぷ⇔すわっぷ)

June 16th, 2017

Today we open up the “really? This is still being published?” File for a look at Swap⇔Swap, Volume 2 (すわっぷ⇔すわっぷ). In Volume 1, we met Ichinose Haruko and Nikaido Natsuko who have vaguely similarish names and are in the same class. Haruko keeps to herself and is a good student. Natsuko is fashionable and garrulous. And, quite suddenly and inexplicably, when they bump into one another lip first, they…switch bodies. While thin on plot, Volume 1 managed to be decent right up until the final pages.

Here in Volume 2, Haruko and Natsuko have not only become good friends, their other good friends all know about them swapping bodies and their circle now includes two other couples who swap bodies, including a couple who is actually a couple.

This is all estblished in the intro pages and we are sent out to experience an utterly average 4-panel comic from Mangatime KR that looks like all the other 4-panel comics from Mangatime KR, with the schtick of switching bodies. The reasons for switching are never awkward or irritating – no taking each other’s exams – but they do switch for the flexibility test in PE which literally made no sense at all. ^_^;; (No, see, flexibility is not innate, it’s the actual muscles and tendons of the body that…just no, really, I can’t even.) And so they can all win at a certain game, allergic people can play with a cat, and other super brilliant reasons.

The end of Volume 2 did not descend into service, as Volume 1 did, in fact, it kind of ascended into Yuri. It has been established in a few early gags in the volume that Haruko was really starting to find other girls attractive generally and Natsuko, specifically, but towards the end, we learn that Natsuko is equally starting to be interested in Haruko. They do kiss quite a lot in this book. To switch bodies, of course. But still. And now Natsuko has a rival for Haruko’s affection which seems to have pushed her to consider Haruko’s affection.

Ratings:

Art – 6 Haruko’s weird eyes (that help you know who is in which body) seem to be a family trait.
Story – 5 They switch bodies. The rest is typical school-life gags
Characters – 8 Actually kind of decent, which is surprising
Service – 3
Yuri – 5

Overall – 7

I cannot tell you that this is good, but I also don’t think it’s bad. I am puzzled as to why it exists at all and make no promises about reading Volume 3, should there be one.

One Response

  1. Yc says:

    Very good
    Nice manga best of all

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