We're on volume 8 of Nisekoi, and I think at this point we pretty much know what to expect. A whole slew of hot babes like Raku, and Raku...well...poor boy just doesn't have a clue. Perhaps, and this is just a theory here, the numerous punches, knees, elbows and kicks to the head has something to do with it. In other words, Raku is a walkin' talkin' concussion.

Anyhoo, on to volume 8! This time around, it's a fairly festive volume, covering the New Year's holiday all the way up to Valentine's Day. And what do the holiday festivities mean for the Nisekoi gang in this volume? Parties? (Check.) Love? (Check.) And...pain?! (Check!!!)

Let Bygones Be Bygones

Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintances be forgotten,
And days of long ago!

It's New Year's! "Auld Lang Syne" shouldn't just be any ol' song to Raku. It pretty much describes his life to a T! Most everyone in Japan rings in the New Year with a visit to the local shrine, and it's no different for Raku and friends. However, his experience there isn't quite that of the typical Japanese person...

Despite doling out some major pain to Raku at the shrine (and throughout his short life in general), Chitoge and friends decide to pay him a visit. Good host Raku takes everything in stride and offers his guests some bonbons for dessert. Unfortunately for Raku, chocolate isn't the only ingredient inside those bonbons.

Perhaps everything would be all right if it was just Chitoge. After all, Raku's an expert at deftly handling sticky situations involving Chitoge and her fists of fury. However, Chitoge's not the only one who can't handle her bonbons.

Things soon escalate and the New Year's gathering quickly turns into a scene straight out of Night of the Living Dead. Run Raku run!

I Want Candy!

At this point, you'd think Raku would like to have nothing to do with chocolate for the rest of his life. But in Japan on Valentine's Day, it's tradition for girls to give boys chocolate. And if you're a boy the girl likes, you get a special kind of chocolate! And lucky Raku has a plethora of special girls that want to give him their special chocolate. But let's refer back to the Concussion Theory and note that Raku doesn't think anyone will give him any chocolates.

Meanwhile, Chitoge's busy in the lab preparing some kind of toxic concoction...

Not to be outdone is girl-next-door/cooking-disaster Onodera.

And to top it off, Marika zealously joins the fray!

Needless to say, at this point, Raku is all-chocolate'd out. No more chocolate for the rest of his life, right? Time to go home, away from all the aches and pains, to rest. That is until he's greeted by hardened gangsters with more sweets!

These are just a couple stories in a volume chock-full of hijinks and high kicks upside Raku's head. So if you wanna curl up with a manga that'll touch both your heart and your funny bone, check out Nisekoi volume 8!

Nisekoi volume 8 is available now in print and digital!