What initially caught my attention to this particular title was that is was called "Knife Edge Girl". At first, I thought the story was going to be about a girl with a knife or something. However, upon reading the provided summary, my interest in the story was sufficiently piqued. I've always had something of a soft spot for short stories, so I leapt without looking right into the first story.

This was before I realized this was about female romance.

Yes, much to my surprise, Knife Edge Girl is a compilation of shoujo-ai short stories. However, that didn't hinder my enjoyment in the slightest. Each story is completely independent of the next. In total, there are 3 short stories, the first two continuing in the form of extras. As comes with the territory of short stories, each individual story has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Knife Edge Girl, the first story of the bunch, was cute, to say the least. The way both characters interact with each other was believable and entertaining. Not one character got on my nerves, despite my expectations for that to be the case. My only complaint was that the romance had begun long before the first panel on page 1. Isn't the point of reading a romance story supposed to be seeing how their relationship develops? I'd like to have seen how it actually began. However, the conclusion was alright, providing enough satisfaction to give it a sense of completeness, but also make it so that the reader won't mind reading a continuation of the same story. Technically, that does happen with the two extra comics at the end, which were also enjoyable.

Graffiti, the second story, is in my opinion the best out of the three. I suppose it was because it felt so... natural. The romance certainly wasn't fast-paced at all; it was quite slow and subtle. The way both characters interacted with one another was both original and interesting to read about. The conclusion was also very satisfying and didn't leave any stones unturned. The extra at the end also gave some extra closure, which is a plus.

Tourteau Fromage was the story I was the least interested in. Not to say it was bad, mind you, but when you compare it to its predecessors, its just not as interesting. The way the two leads do meet is interesting. The character from whose point of view the story is told is interesting. The characters around said character are interesting. But the main love interest wasn't as interesting as any of these. There are hints dropped about her personality, and it's clear what her interest is, but I didn't feel any real connection with her. All things considered, I found her to be fairly bland. As the reviewer below me had stated, she basically "goes with the flow" without any noticeable interest at all. Ordinary characters aren't a bad thing, so long as they're believable. Also, the ending wasn't as conclusive as the other two.

I also really liked the art in these. I really don't know what to say about it. It isn't the most detailed in the world, but it certainly isn't bad. If I had to find a word to describe it, it would probably be "crisp". Characters can be depicted as either realistic or cartoony when the need arises. It's detailed enough, and it certainly fits the overall tone of each story.

For those who just skimmed to this part to avoid reading my very wordy comment, I'll get straight to the point. Knife Edge Girl is a pleasant collection of slow, subtle romance stories that I definitely don't regret reading. However, the fact that its a shoujo-ai title might turn off a few people.

Also, that self-advert at the end. Freaking. Gold.

... Last updated on October 5th, 2012, 5:28pm

Overall: the last story drags it down a little. The other stories are fantastic though.

Knife Edge Girl: Cute in it's own right, but you don't get that completeness that you get with the other stories in the collection. The post-chapter "Extra" resolves it though. 7.8
Graffiti: Absolutely adorable. About two girls obviously made for each other, but separated by their completely at-odds schedules. Definitely a worth-while shojo-ai. In addition, the author added an "Another Side" story which ties in with this one. 9.2
Tourteau Fromage: A little lackluster considering the source material. Everything seems so one-sided and the romantic interest just basically "goes with the flow". 4.2

... Last updated on April 25th, 2012, 9:05am