On Punch! Vol. 1

Viz Media released the first book in this three-volume series way back in 2006. Why am I just now picking it up? Well, last weekend, when flipping through some of the old manga on my bookshelf, I saw an ad for Rie Takada Punch! in the back of one, and it looked intriguing enough to give it a try. A shojo series from the creator of Happy Hustle High, Punch! stars 15-year-old Elle Nagahara, whose love life is impossible.It's not just that she hails from a family of martial artists. Dad was a boxing champion, Mom was a wrestling champion, and her grandfather, who she affectionately refers to as Gigi, was the first Japanese world champion of Muay Thai kickboxing, and he now runs a gym where he trains young fighters.No, it's that her grandfather and his one-time rival and best friend long ago promised each other that their grandchildren would marry, which means Elle is kinda sorta promised to 17-year-old professional fighter Ruo. He's quite dreamy, as evidenced by the fact that Elle's best friend and much of the female student body seem to have crushes on him, but, since they grew up together, Elle can't help but think of him as anything other than an older brother.That's not how he fee...