One-Pound Gospel
Kosaku is a cheerful boxer who can't keep his weight. Sister Angela is a nun who frequently takes it on herself to keep him from pigging out. Together, they are a Rumiko Takahashi manga!
That's really all there is to say: One-Pound Gospel (four volumes, Viz, started in '87 and finished twenty years later, yadda yadda yadda) is more Ranma 1/2 than it is Maison Ikkoku, which means that the element of "woman who has devoted her life to God" is mostly just there for Kosaku to comically not get why she won't go on a date with him. It's not terribly funny either, but it's Takahashi. It's cute, but never emotionally captivating. Funny, but never the kind of epic idiocy that was Ranma. Your average storyline is something like "Kosaku receive a challenge, we're introduced to eccentric opponent, Sister Angela worries, Kosaku's coach despairs, FIGHT". The only real conflict surfaces in the last quarter of the last book, but is it really worth it to read through the first 3 3/4 to get there?
I'm sure it's not unless you are a particular fan of Takahashi's, and/or have not read any manga ever, in which case One-Pound Gospel probably will be new and exciting. For the rest, I'd say you skip right ahead to Maison Ikkoku.
There is a part with a host club that was refreshing cynical, however. And I liked the Mexican.
That's really all there is to say: One-Pound Gospel (four volumes, Viz, started in '87 and finished twenty years later, yadda yadda yadda) is more Ranma 1/2 than it is Maison Ikkoku, which means that the element of "woman who has devoted her life to God" is mostly just there for Kosaku to comically not get why she won't go on a date with him. It's not terribly funny either, but it's Takahashi. It's cute, but never emotionally captivating. Funny, but never the kind of epic idiocy that was Ranma. Your average storyline is something like "Kosaku receive a challenge, we're introduced to eccentric opponent, Sister Angela worries, Kosaku's coach despairs, FIGHT". The only real conflict surfaces in the last quarter of the last book, but is it really worth it to read through the first 3 3/4 to get there?
I'm sure it's not unless you are a particular fan of Takahashi's, and/or have not read any manga ever, in which case One-Pound Gospel probably will be new and exciting. For the rest, I'd say you skip right ahead to Maison Ikkoku.
There is a part with a host club that was refreshing cynical, however. And I liked the Mexican.