Kaguya-sama: Love is War (Volume 1) - Two Hearts, One Battle!

Kaguya and Miyuki are considered the school power couple and yet they’ve never dated. Both are interested in dating, but neither is willing to make the first move. The one who confesses their love first loses!

Kaguya-sama: Love is War (Volume 1) – Two Hearts, One Battle!

What happened?

It’s nothing more than idle gossip, but the idea has intrigued both of them. Miyuki Shirogane is the student council president who is clever and diligent. Kaguya Shinomiya is the vide-president and heiress of a massive Japanese corporation who has been preened and perfected over the years. For her to date someone like Miyuki, she would need to mould him into something more acceptable. Of course, she would only do that if he asked her out. It would be like charity. He was sure to get something from it. However, he had considered it too, but she would need to ask him.

Neither was willing to budge, so let the games begin. Chika Fujiwara, the student council secretary had won a pair of tickets to see a movie. Unfortunately, her parents won’t let her see it so she wanted to see if they would like it. Miyuki is the first to answer, surprised that his schedule is clear that weekend. He inadvertently asked Kaguya if she would like to go. Did he just ask her out? Oh, no. How can he backtrack without actually backtracking?

Kaguya thinks she has him, especially after she went to the trouble of arranging for Chika to win the contest after finding a weekend when Miyuki was free. It was all working out just as she planned. Soon, he would have to ask her out and then she would have won. Each of them struggled to come up with a counter to the other’s counter and in the end, the bell went and it was left undecided. However, this was just the first skirmish!

Kaguya sama Love is War Volume 1 Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane siting a row apart

What did you think?

This was hilarious. I’ve not seen the anime and am aware of the reverence with which it is held, but never really expected it to be this funny. The mind games are fantastic and it utilises one of my favourite tropes to a spectacular new level – misunderstandings. Rather than simply having them read each other wrong, they are constantly trying to outguess one another, often overthinking everything and undoing all their own plans. It was incredible.

My favourite scene in the first volume had to be the one where Kaguya wanted Miyuki to share his homemade lunch with her but before she could ask Chika stepped in and did it first. Of course, Chika is just being Chika, but that sends Kaguya into a vicious spiral where she wished death on Chika. Luckily, for Chika, Miyuki feels her hatred and quickly finishes his lunch and runs off. Chika saves herself by offering Kaguya the octopus sausage and all is good in the world once more.

In a way, this story reminds me of Roald Dahl’s The Twits about an old married couple that plays pranks on one another until they both die. Obviously, this is at a different point in the relationship, but it’s equally as funny. I’m looking forward to seeing just how far they will go in their quest to win love!