Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (2015)

[小林さんちのメイドラゴン]

Volume 2

Author/Artist: Coolkyousinnjya
Publisher: Action Comics

Synopsis:
Watching Tohru clean the apartment, Kobayashi decides to ask her about dragon hygiene.

Story/Characters:
Kobayashi and Tohru are steadily learning more about each other. Kanna starts going to school, which introduces her classmate Saikawa, who will become a feature in her episodes. Fafnir decides to take up residence in the human world as well, so we'll be seeing more of him. The Comiket episode is particularly interesting as it provides an opportunity fictional and (in-universe) real fantasy to blend together. We close on a two-parter where Tohru's father comes to bring her back to their world and look a bit more as to why Tohru left in the first place.

Art:
As noted before, there's a somewhat wonky quality to the art, but it's charming and not really a problem. Interestingly enough, characters other than our principle task are drawn with a particular oddness to them. I don't know if this is a deliberate choice to set the extras apart or if Coolkyousinnjya just feels that they're not worth taking the time to draw well. There's a nice two-page spread on the beach episode with Tohru swimming in dragon form. And, yes, there's plenty of more conventional fanservice as well.

Other:
In the afterword this time, the author talks a bit about Tohru's design.

Conclusion:
Tohru's presence in our world draws others from her own and it's interesting watching these fantastical creatures settle into everyday life. While the story is mostly light, there are some deeper moments when we explore elements like Kobayashi's loneliness and Tohru's disenchantment with her world. It's good stuff and well worth a read.

Rating:
Read It