School Rumble Recommended

Publisher
Tanoshimi
Writer
Jin Kobayashi
Artist
Jin Kobayashi
Country of origin
Japan
Year
2002

School Rumble vol 1-4

By John Huxley
13th May 07

At face value, School Rumble enters in to the crowded and highly competitive high school-based romantic comedy genre that seems so popular with manga readers the world over. From 80's classics such Kimagure Orange Road and Ranma ½ through to modern day efforts like Love Hina and Negima, I’d say almost every base in the genre has been well covered by at least several titles before now. So why should I even give School Rumble the time of day?

Well, as complicated as this genre thing gets, it’s a little unfair to shoe-horn School Rumble alongside Maison Ikkoku and Fruits Basket. In terms of style and content it actually shares more similarities with Azumanga Daioh, it just so happens that the story centres around a high school romance.

As is the norm with this sort of thing, the romance element involves a love triangle in which the character’s affections are not always reciprocated. And in School Rumble’s case, they’re too dim-witted to even notice. You see, Harima Kenji (School Rumble uses the Japanese order of surname/first name, so his name is actually Kenji), the local bad-boy, gang leader and serial truant finds himself madly in love with the plain girl-next-door type Tsukamoto Tenma, in spite of his reputation. Only Tenma isn’t the brightest bulb in the house and doesn’t really twig on to Kenji’s feelings despite his efforts to make it plainly obvious. She’s too busy infatuating herself with the altogether more straight-laced (yet extremely odd) Karamsuma Oji. Only Oji is due to be transferred within the year, so time is against the young love birds if they wish to let their feelings be known...

...all of which really doesn’t do much to prove my point that School Rumble is anything but the typical high school romantic comedy. It’s the execution in which School Rumble differs. Much like Azumanga Daioh the story often takes a backseat in favour of developing well observed situations in every day school life. Actually, the well observed part might be stretching the truth a little, because School Rumble has a tendency to veer off in to the land of the surreal. It doesn’t take it nearly as far as Cromartie High School, but there are similarities to be drawn there. Especially where Harima Kenji is concerned, as the artwork often changes to a mock-shonen style (think Fist of the North Star) to highlight the character’s hard-man persona.

This is also typical of School Rumble’s approach to narrative; each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a single character, mostly alternating between Tenma and Kenji but also giving us a chance to explore other characters as well. This is most obvious in the first two chapters which both revolve around the first day of the new school year. The first chapter is told from Tenma’s perspective, and the second from Kenji’s point of view. Here we’re privy to their inner most thoughts as they hope and pray the seating arrangement marries them up alongside their loved ones. It’s a seemingly inconsequential scenario, yet from the outset we learn more about these characters, their predicaments and their precocious relationship than several chapters of traditional plotting would ever achieve. And that’s without either character even talking to one another. It’s neat, it’s to the point and it’s very effective.

And not only is this a fabulous introduction to both central characters, it also highlights the variety of content on offer in School Rumble. Sharing the limelight amongst several characters spreads the load and keeps things moving along without ever getting tied down to one single scenario or storyline.

Most chapters in School Rumble are pretty short, and although this means that the plot often suffers in favour of gags, it also helps to keep the pacing quick and palatable. Didn’t find that chapter funny? No problem, check out the next one! It’s this accessibility that makes School Rumble a very easy comic to just dip in and out of when you have a few minutes spare. It’s not quite the Ken Dodd of manga (that award would go to Azumanga Daioh), but it’s a world away from the story-driven high school romantic comedy that you’d associate with Rumiko Takahashi. That doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better...just different. And in the world of high school romantic comedies, that difference goes a loooong way.

Of course all this would mean nowt if School Rumble just wasn’t funny. And though I always think humour is very specific to tastes, I found myself laughing at regular intervals while reading School Rumble. Perhaps not quite as much as, say, GTO or the original Dragon Ball, yet the comedy element is certainly stronger than Love Hina or Maison Ikkoku. Perhaps that’s because School Rumble has made a conscious effort concentrate on humour more than romance, but nevertheless the results are there in favour of School Rumble.

Over the three books I’ve read so far, School Rumble shows no sign of letting up. There are a couple more substantial storylines and plot developments in there, yet School Rumble never loses that distinctive edge. If you’re missing Azumanga Diaoh and had a soft spot for Cromartie High School, I’d happily recommend that you pick up School Rumble. Even if it’s not exactly superior to either of those, it’s such an easy title to pick up and read that it’s difficult to go far wrong with School Rumble. Good stuff.

-- John Huxley 13th May 07