Welcome to This Week in Shonen Jump, our weekly check in on Viz’s various Shonen Jump series. Viz has recently changed their release format, but our format will mostly remain the same. We will still review the newest chapters of one title a week, now with even more options at our disposal. The big change for our readers is that, even without a Shonen Jump subscription, you can read these most recent chapters for free at Viz.com or using their app.
This week, Zach checks in with “High School Family.” If you have thoughts on this or any other current Shonen Jump titles, please let us know in the comments!
High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku Chapter 58
Written and Illustrated by Ryo Nakama
Reviewed by Zach Wilkerson
My impression of “High School Family” is that it’s ostensibly a gag manga. Its one-off chapters deal with the antics of a single family enrolled in the same high school. In the latest chapter the absurd premise is augmented with a foray into the realm of V-tubers. However, despite a few humorous scenarios, the “gag” feels rather unsatisfying.
The chapter opens with Haruka introducing her older brother, Kotaro, to the new virtual sensation, Virtual Amazoness. Amazoness has the verbal tic of ending her sentences with the suffix “-zoness,” something I suspect lands a little better in native language. Kotaro quickly deduces, through the power of friendship, that his friend Nishi is the person behind the avatar. This leads to a virtual collaboration between the duo and Kotaro’s father/classmate, the closest to an actual “gag” in this chapter.
Lacking in overt humor, this chapter focuses more on introspection and self expression, with Nishi creating a character that’s drastically different from his everyday self. Anonymity on the internet is a well explored topic at this point and Nishi’s experience feels familiar to those tropes. The fact that Kotaro sees through the disguise so quickly highlights the pair’s friendship, allowing Nishi to open up and share this secret side of himself. It’s a sweet and encouraging message. This sweetness is accentuated by Nakama’s charming artwork. His characters are smooth and subdued, their expressions kindly even in the face of the (mildly) absurd.
The experience of reading this chapter is like walking through a thin fog. You barely notice as you enter. As you spend time trying to discern the surroundings, you find that it has already passed you by. You are left with little impression outside the cool, slightly refreshing breeze. I will not explain what this means. But maybe I want to be a V-tuber now?
Final Verdict: This is not a particularly funny comic, nor is it particularly memorable. As a cute 3-minute diversion from life, however, it does the job.
