Story & Art by murata
Publisher: Yen Press
Original Japanese Magazine: Young Ace Up!
English Release Date: March 22, 2022
Here we are once again with another Volume 1 review, and once again we find ourselves with another romantic comedy, but this time with a pride-filled twist. I’ll admit I’ve had romance on the brain lately, but I write about what I love, which in this case happens to be people falling in love.
That being said, Catch These Hands! Isn’t what I would consider to be a traditional romance story. We follow former high school delinquent Ayako Takebe stuck in a rut, as her friends are getting married and starting families, all the while she has neither and no job to boot. That’s when her high school rival Arira Soramori comes back into her life and challenges to a showdown where if Takebe loses they will start dating. Naturally, Takebe loses, and the romance of the former lawless ladies begins.
Now I will say that this is actually the first real Girls Love series I’ve actually read, and I have to say that it was a very pleasant surprise. When it comes to its gender swapped sibling genre, Boys Love, the more popular titles ofte come off as fetishizing gay relationships instead of being full representations of the experience. I was concerned that my first real GL book would do the same thing, but what I found was a nice lighthearted read about former punks turned paramours with a funny premise.
The biggest hurdle that this series has to overcome, however, is the admittedly sketchier side of that story setup. Takebe throughout the book seemingly shows no interest being in this relationship she was forced into by her pride as a former rebel. This is understandable, as she is resolved in trying to start her life over and get married and having a family, only for a surprise confession to lead to a lesbian relationship that derails those ambitions. Granted, Soramori never maliciously forces Takebe into dates or conflicts, but her rival turned romancer’s absurd strength does cause her to not want the relationship on bad terms.
It is kind of this double-edged sword, as it makes the romance at first a little hard to root for, but it also makes for some hilarious inner monologue from Takebe. She’s afraid of a woman that, in reality, is the kind of person she wants to be. Soramori might have herculean strength and Judo throws for days, but she also is more diminutive and shy, with a more stable head on her shoulders. It also doesn’t hurt that she is honest about her feelings with Takebe, including how she fell for her, and is willing to do anything Takebe wants to do if it means spending time with her.
This is when the volume kicks things into a new gear, and highlights the best part of the volume, which is the budding relationship between these two women. For being former enemies who used to fight constantly, they have such a charming chemistry building. It is presented with dramatic set pieces like a typical shoujo high school romance, but with more of a mundane everyday vibe, with dates at amusement parks snapping Instagram pics for the first time or just spending an afternoon shopping together. It doesn’t hurt that they gain a greater understanding of one another throughout, especially seeing Soramori understanding why Takebe wants to be more of a traditional housewife, and how their relationship conflicts with that.
I have to give major props to the author, murata, for presenting such a wild scenario with a realistic sense of weight. Just when I thought that this would be an uncomfortably forced premise, they tackle each issue the reader might have with the relationship head on while building a likable dynamic between our protagonists. It even develops Takebe’s feelings in a way that makes sense, as she starts growing concerned about Soramori's relationships with other women, with some strong comedic and character driven scenarios that accompany them.
I feel like this was the right kind of story I needed to read this week, one without melodrama or gimmicks, but rather a more down to earth story showing a naturally forming relationship. While the reason why that relationship started is anything but a normal scenario, it still gives a story with two lovely ladies learning more about themselves and each other in a light-hearted and relaxing series of rendezvous.