“There's a new school nurse at Mitsugi Middle School, and the students couldn't be more exÂcited. To everyone else, Momoyama-sensei is an unmatched beauty, but second-year student Tamotsu Kurita sees something they don't—that she's also a massive nerd! Her love of 2D characters—and only 2D characters—knows no bounds, and try as she might, she just can't hide it. To Kurita, being around a beautiful lady who shares his interests is a dream come true, but Momoyama-sensei's more excited to talk about her favorite fictional idols than anything else…” ( Yen Press)
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Many people can point to someone important in their life that helped bring them into the fold of nerdy obsessions or helped validate existing interests. Undeniably part teenage fantasy, “Do You Like The Nerdy Nurse?” celebrates the connections that self described otaku's can find in the most curious of places. Certainly, love of things like anime, manga, collectibles etc. is not restricted by age and Arata Kawabata is able to explore the ins and outs of fandom within two different generations.
Understanding that the life of a fan can be rather complex affair, Arata touches on the negatives alongside the romanticized aspects of the subculture; the strong desire to get that certain pull from a mobile game, the research going into making certain exclusive merch is grabbed at the best price, competitiveness and (of course) overspending. Consequently, each (mis)adventure pushes Nurse Momoyama to confide in Tamotsu Kurita either as a lesson or warning on how an adult otaku should act.
The personal nature of this relationship is undeniably unprofessional, but Arata does not allow the nurse to be entirely aloof as she is often aware she should not be overstepping this boundary. Consequently, her outbursts show the passion that many fans come across where once their favorite subject comes up enthusiasm amps up and it is difficult to not share. Overall, Momoyama comes across as an adorable and slightly eccentric, which will feel familiar and appeal to many within the fandom.
The artistic styling of Kawabata is geared towards keeping an upbeat comedic tone, with an emphasis on capturing the adorable actions of Momoyama-sensei. The downside is that our main protagonist Tamotsu Kurita is rather generic and inexpressive in comparison. Leaning on teenage fantasy and fan service in aesthetic approach, few readers will be concerned about the contrast in detail between the two main characters.
“Do You Like The Nerdy Nurse?” explores the otaku lifestyle with comedic wit born of adoration for the culture and all its nuances and insider references. Fans who love celebrating all the aspects of otaku culture will in fact ‘like the nerdy nurse'.
