Two thumbs up for Princess Jellyfish Volumes 1-9 by Akiko Higashimura.
Tsukimi, a young woman obsessed with jellyfish, lives in a shared house with other shy female nerds…and the owner’s about to sell. Not only will their nerd collective be broken up, but the historic building will be torn down for new developments. Oh no! But enter Kuranosuke, a local rich boy (and also fabulous cross-dressing fashionista) who refuses to let them give in to inertia…and that’s just the setup. Long ago, I watched the anime based on this manga, but it was cancelled after a single season and simply stops without any resolution. Nevertheless, it makes me happy and I have watched it several times. I love the female characters’ complete dedication to their obsessions, and Kuranosuke’s sunshiny chutzpah in equal measure. Flash forward to now: I was having a very tired week/month/honestly year and I broke down and bought a complete box set. And then read them (all nine thick volumes) over the course of a weekend. I have no regrets. In fact, the ending was even more satisfying than I had hoped. I will probably be rereading these every few years for the rest of my life.
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