Manga Review: Chocolat

I started this series today - Chocolat. Five volumes later, I'm reviewing it.

Shoujo: Chocolat
Authors: Written by Shin Ji-sang and illustrated by Geo 
Genres: Romance, Comedy, Shoujo
Rating: 4/10

I hate summaries, so here's one from Wikipedia:

All Kum-Ji wants in life is to meet her favorite boy band, DDL. When she finds that the roster for the fan club is full, Kum-Ji despairs on ever having the chance to meet them face to face. Just when she believes all hope is lost, she decides to con her way into the boy band circuit by faking an interest in another band, Yo-I, and joining their fan club. Once in, she will have access to other bands, including her beloved DDL, who often performs at the same venues. However, even the best laid plans frequently go awry, and her deception is discovered by one of the band members, E-Soh. E-Soh originally decides to blackmail Kum-Ji into doing whatever he wants, but he never planned on falling in love!

I enjoyed myself reading the first volume. After that, it took an effort to concentrate. I was not impressed by the storyline, as there was nothing amazingly original, nor was there anything worth pointing out. So another average girl hits another cliched jackpot. So what? Not to mention, the girl has some serious issues. In possession of one of those bipolar personalities - she stands out for not giving in to the hot guys' charms, and often uses her fists to wreck havoc. But in other circumstances, when she's faced with a group of rapid fangirls, she's back to a crybaby and unwilling to do anything about it. It's so frustrating to see this concept used so consistently in the countless mangas out there! This is why mangas like Hot Blooded Woman stand out, because the girl doesn't get pushed around by other jealous fangirls.

On the other hand, I did like the art, not to mention the bishies. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have continued to read it. There were quite a few moments when I laughed aloud, as well. If there is anything that even slightly saves the day - it's the comedy.

Of course, it's not as hilarious as Girl Got Game (that one had me rolling on the ground), this one gave me quite a few chuckles.

If you're going to read it - be prepared for a sagging plotline (it becomes pointless after the first volume or two), and an annoying main character who is so juvenile that it hurts, and of course, some pretty boys - the selling point.