Description

Set in 2005, this gorgeously illustrated, funny, and honest graphic novel follows four teens who stumble into an illicit anime DVD-burning business that shakes up their conservative small town…and their friendship.

When Brooke, Kelly, Maggie, and Melissa buy a bootleg anime DVD at a gas station, they get much more than they bargained for with Super Love XL, a risque move featuring-among other things-a giant mecha who shoots lasers out of her chest. The four girls are horrified (and maybe a little fascinated). It’s so unlike anything they’ve seen, would probably shock everyone else in their town, and definitely would take over their extremely conservative Christian school. That’s when they have the idea to sell copies to local boys…for twenty dollars a pop.

At first, everything goes perfectly, with the friends raking in cash-pretty soon they’ll even have enough money to buy the matching jackets they’ve always dreamed of! But as the market for mildly titillating anime DVDs grows, the girls realize they’ll need new material. On top of figuring out how to replicate their first success, there’s growing tension within the group. Brooke and Kelly’s romance is on its last legs, and hurt feelings are guaranteed when Melissa starts falling for one of them.

Will the four girls’ shared history be strong enough to see them through this upheaval? Or will they learn that some things can only end in heartbreak?

Publisher Review

* "Paired with Baker and Goux's snappy dialogue and expressive, visually varied characters, the group's interpersonal challenges-including Brooke, Kelly, and Melissa's love triangle, and Maggie's struggles navigating loneliness-are deeply relatable and fully realized. While the creators delicately navigate heavy topics such as homophobia, mental health, and racism, this sincere graphic novel, set in 2005, is not without humor and hope." * Publishers Weekly, Starred Review * "Skillful, detailed art reminiscent of the girls' beloved genre brings the cast to life through expressive body language as well as paneling that changes in scale and perspective. . . . This is a witty and absorbing examination of a community's painful experiences with loneliness, queer romance, and strangely bewitching anime. An evocative, tender, character-driven coming-of-age story." -- Kirkus Reviews While coming-of-age stories set in boarding schools are nothing new, this graphic novel grapples with the topics of identity, attraction, faith, and family with a modern sensibility. The black-and-white artwork, washed in shades of green, is quiet, capturing the moods of the girls, their worry, heartbreak, and moments of triumph in only a few lines. A fine example of a familiar trope. -- Booklist * 10/15/2022 *