ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Fly Me to the Moon,’ Volume 3

Fly Me To The Moon is a quirky slice of life manga with a hint of science fiction and a whole bunch of shonen romantic comedy fun. While the last volume frustrated me with its out-of-nowhere sex talk, Fly Me To The Moon Volume 3 is a return to awkward form for our protagonists Nasa and Tsukasa. This volume contains chapters 19 through 27, is written and illustrated by mangaka Kenjiro Hata, and is published by VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint. It’s translated to English by John Werry and features touch-up art and lettering from Evan Waldinger.

If you’re unfamiliar with Fly Me To The Moon as a series, it follows Nasa and Tsukasa, whose fates have been tied since Tsukasa saved Nasa one night from dying in a car accident. When they united years later, Nasa decides to marry the cutest girl in the world, and from there, we get an awkward and comedic romance that showcases the best elements of young love and its quirky side as well. In Fly Me To The Mood Volume 3, the couple decides to take their marriage to the next level, meeting Nasa’s parents. While Nasa met Tsukasa’s unusual family (and their battle maids?) last volume, he didn’t really tell his parents that he was no longer a loner, let alone married.

On the trip to Nara from Tokyo, Nasa is determined to do whatever it takes to make a long bus ride romantic, while Tsukasa is just happy to check out food courts along the way. But while that’s the main piece of narrative in this volume, Nasa’s real quest is to finally sleep in the same bed as Tsukasa. But don’t worry, he just wants to hold her hand.

Fly To The Moon Volume 3 is adorable, to say the least. Hata utilizes shonen action tropes to great comedic effect, turning them into romantic elements for Nasa and Tsukasa’s story. The strongest way that Hata does this is by differentiating three dialogue elements: internal thoughts, spoken dialogue, and narration from an omnipotent source. The latter offers up hilarious observations that are perfectly timed to what the reader is probably thinking. For example, when Nasa gets the chance to hold Tsukasa in bed for the first time, he’s worried, unsure, and nervous. He tells himself, “what if I get arrested,” to which the narrator replies, “he won’t.”

While I had issues with the sexual humor in volume two, Hata’s ability to walk the line between raunchy and wholesome is back in balance. And to be clear, when I say raunchy, I mean the subtlety in which Nasa thinks about sex from time to time. But to be honest, the lack of physical intimacy in Fly Me To The Moon is what makes it a heartwarming romantic comedy that stands out in the genre right now. Additionally, while focused on specific elements of the couple’s relationship, the short chapters are quick; they aren’t self-contained and present a larger story.

Overall, Fly Me To The Moon Volume 3 is a great continuation of the series and has me back on board its hype train and looking forward to volume four. With the anime currently streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll, now is the perfect time to pick up Nasa and Tsukasa’s story.

Fly Me To The Moon Volume 3 is available where books are sold on January 12, 2021.