3 Years

3 Years isn't your typical love story and at the same time it’s exactly that, a typical love story. I found myself reading it and though, “Hey, I’ve read this before." Not because the plot is cliché (which it sometimes is), but because I really did read it before. Then I asked myself the question that baffles even me, "Is it worth another read?" I couldn't remember anything about it other than it made me feel warm and fuzzy at times. Nothing about the characters, plot or how it ended... nothing. So, I kept on reading hoping something would click. Less than an hour later..Damn. Nota bad damn either. "There are many things you can’t get even if you want them and try your best to acquire." China is a tomboy of a girl thanks to her older brothers influence. That’s why she finds she could befriend guys easier than girls. She’s fifteen and entering high school and hopes to find what all girl in shoujo manga everywhere want, love. She meets Haruka and Shindou and one weird comment later sets the course of their friendship. China is as inexperienced as they get. I mean she had never fallen in love or even knew the difference between the feeling of love and just plain gas. Mean and weird but true. I tell that to myself to excuse her bad timing on everything in the end. The gas excuse helps me sleep better at night. She was just a girl who wanted a boyfriend and said yes to a boy on a whim, even if she felt nothing for him and knowing he felt nothing for her and they went with it from there. Haruka ‘s character was interesting to watch and at least his actions make sense and were obvious to everyone but China. He turns into a playboy but has a sweet side it just so happens that after a while it goes on vacation and leaves arrogant in charge. I’m sure things would have turned out differently had he spoken up and been more open with his feelings. But even to us, he’s still a mystery. Shindou, what can I say about you? I find myself wondering what your name is and why after dating certain amount of time the girl still calls you by your last name. His character was nice and even though they categorize him as a “bad boy” he isn’t. At all. He’s the top student in his year and is someone being serious doesn’t make them a delinquent. Four chapters and you barely got any dialogue in which was surprising since he’s important to it. Not much development except for a few lines and even then it could have been a cyborg. We’ll have to trust that China would have noticed if he were a real boy or not. I would like to say that there were more involved characters but because of it being only one volume short there aren't any worth mentioning. The story is solely about them. In this case, it's enough. Art is not really anything special but I did like the way Shindou was drawn, looked very chiseled and arrogant at just the right times but still gave him a sweetness to him. Though I could be reading too much into it, which happens more often than not. China reminded me of Strobe Edge’s Ninako but lacked the art charm she has. Also the personalities not that similar just they petite physique. Towards the end I thought it would untangle the little mess that it created but it didn’t. Towards the end I just didn’t feel like I knew China at all and her voice was just that, a random voice. Towards the end the characters you were close to getting to know got stale right before your eyes. But the closure is in the story, not the characters. Even if you begin to notice at the end that the story was just getting started. It does a pre-quel Silver Chip, which is nowhere to be found but it is the story of Haruka and a girlfriend he had and it crosses with 3 Years timeline. Love, friendship and soul mates with a “Really?” ending. Again, not a bad thing. There’s not much to say without spoiling. It’s a love story with a real life ending. “You.. have bad timing for love.”