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Title:  Beauty Pop #4

Author:  Kiyoko Arai

Publisher:  Viz

ISBN:  9781421510101

May Contain Spoilers

As the Scissor Project’s latest hair battle continues, Narumi’s injured arm is causing him quite a problem.  Barely able to hold his scissors, the pig-headed boy refuses to allow Kiri to step in for him.  When Narumi loses control of his scissors and cuts himself, Kiri is paralyzed by a nightmare from her past.  Will she be able to shake off the memories, and finish giving Mao her makeover?

All kinds of complications arise in this volume.  We are teased with a flashback to Kiri’s childhood, when the budding hair-stylist lost control of her scissors and hurt her mother.  Did this traumatic event cause her indifference to her talents?  It’s also revealed that Narumi’s dad had a very intense rivalry with Kiri’s father, an up-and-coming hair artist who turned his back on the lime-light after getting married.  Narumi’s father focused all of his energies on defeating Seiji, and now he’s disappointed that his opponent has settled for such meager rewards.Seiji reminded me so much of Kiri in these pages.  He refused to be baited by his old adversary, and seems genuinely puzzled by the other man’s dismay his current circumstances.  Don’t those Narumi men take satisfaction in the end result of their labors? Does everything have to be a contest, a way of proving their worthiness?  Can’t they just cut hair for the simple pleasure of making someone happy?  Maybe this is why they have such issues with their explosive tempers.

In a new romantic twist, Ochiai is jolted with the knowledge that he likes Kiri.  After her childhood friend turns up and seems to be spending an inordinate amount of time with her, Ochiai is surprised to discover that he’s jealous.  When he secretly snaps a picture of Kiri with his cell phone,  he makes a major miscalculation and leaves the device in the library.  Kanoko, finding the phone, is shocked to see Kiri’s picture.  She’s devastated that the boy she has a major crush on seems to like her best friend!  I felt really bad for Kanoko.  She’s so upset by this discovery, and it’s just eating away at her.  She can’t even concentrate on her studies!  How will this effect their friendship? 

I can’t figure out what it is about this series that I love the most.  When I first heard the concept for the story, I thought that it was the silliest plot ever!  How could the author continue to deliver a fun, varied story around something I find extremely boring?  Hair styles and make-up are about the last things that I’m interested in! 

Wrongo!  The art alone makes this a title worth picking up.  Simple yet able to convey the drama and comedic events conducive to the fashion battles, Kiyoko Arai almost casually illustrates her panels with page after page of expressive art.  There are few extraneous details to clutter her story-telling, and the pictures flow smoothly by.  This manga proves that in the hands of a talented mangaka, almost any subject can be a great read.  When are the house cleaning comics going to hit the streets?

Grade:  A-

Rated for Teen