Oh My Goddess 45

Kosuke Fujishima – Dark Horse – 2013 – 48 volumes

The last volume comes out at the end of October!  I’m going to catch myself up on the reviews before then.  I’m so excited! (edit: the last volume is out now, I need to push the rest of these reviews through)

Aside from being the wrap-up to the long Hell storyline (apparently Hagal had her reasons), this volume will forever win a place in my heart for explaining why Keiichi and Belldandy don’t hold hands or kiss for 45 volumes.  I can’t decide if this is brilliant or a horrible cop-out.  I’m leaning towards the former, as Oh My Goddess predates most of the “uncool guy wins the affection of hot girl, hangs out with lots of other hot girls” genre.  I’d like to think it’s not as formulaic, as it invented those formulas.  On the other hand, part of me doubts very much this was intended from the beginning.  But I want to believe, because that would be amazing.

This gets us started on another story arc that should take us mostly to the end.  The kiss Bell and Keiichi did share last time opened the floodgates, and now the two need to be tested by Heaven to see if they can stay together.  Cute!  But there’s some serious doom and gloom at the beginning here.  Belldandy’s honesty and intentions are thrown into question (shock!), and Keiichi… is shocked, but unfazed?  I was a little surprise that someone (A great someone! Loved the fight with Hild!) showed up, explained, and both Bell and Keiichi immediately started the challenge.

I can’t go into too much more detail without spoiling things.  But it’s nice to see things escalating!  I wish Belldandy was feeling a bit better, though.