Magic Knight Rayearth follows Hikaru, Fuu and Umi along with their friendly sidekick, Mokona, on their quest to save the mystical planet of Cephiro.
My Review
This manga is gorgeous, the characters are all great, the setting and magic system are well done but idk if I like it. For one thing it is very fast paced and that twist in the middle was a choice... that I'm not sure I liked. *shrugs* The second arc doesn't have such twists but it's also fast paced and felt very repetitive to me, although at least the ending is happy. I like this manga but not nearly as much as Card Captor Sakura. I'm glad I read it and I do eventually plan on watching the anime, which seems to have a slower pace, but I'm not sure I'll read the manga again.
Author: Mitsuki Kako
Summary
On a day of blossoming sakura, Mao, by chance encounters a handsome sleeping man. Once awakened, he unexpectedly gives Mao a kiss. Yet, as fate would have it, it turns out that the mysterious stranger is actually her uncle - though not by blood. He is the chosen caretaker that Mao will be living with during the school year. But how will Mao handle her blossoming feelings for her "uncle" while living with him? Will either one of them be able to cast aside social conventions to be together?
My Review
I'm not as big a fan of this manga as I am of Sora Log but it's still a very solid read. I adore Mao and her love interest is ok. He likes to pull her tail a too much for my tastes, although he does know when to not do that and while she's a bit huffy over it she's never too upset. Overall they have a very sweet, playful, and warm love. The taboo element is fun to, but then it's me, I always love a taboo love story. We do get both characters POV, more her side than his though.
The taboo element is well handled although I felt like it got handled a bit to neatly. And I'm not sure why I feel that way because Mitsuki-san did a damn good job setting everything up for that ending. *shrugs* On the other hand we get two date chapters... which for the number of chapters overall is a good amount, in my experience. And the epilogue of them as a married couple with kids is damned cute.
Finally the art is pretty but some of the scans are not well done. Also the translation is rough in spots. Still it doesn't take away too much from the story.
Author: Sugiyama Miwako
Summary
Ai just loves her big brother, Yuzuru! He's so kind, so reliable and so cool! He always protects Ai from trouble and when she cries, he cheers her up! He's the perfect big brother. These happy times end when her parents divorce and she and her brother are separated! After 9 years Ai, now 14 years old, finds a tall boy in front of her school! Who is this boy?
My Review
I love a good taboo relationship, as any long time reader have probably guessed by now and this manga is a fantastic example of why. It has all the good things, we got the refusal to admit feelings, the pining, the sneaking around, and finally the fall out when they get found out. And it's all done so well, just enough time in each stage to be able to really enjoy myself without taking so long I'm bored.
Both main characters are great (although Ai is a crybaby) as is the rest of the cast. Really the only fly in the ointment is the infidelity arc... I'm not a fan of such storylines. *shrugs* Well that and I felt like the fact they weren't biological siblings was pulled out Sugiyama's ass. I get why she did it (and I do love a happy ending) but still. With that said yes this is still incest, 1 they did grow up together and 2 they didn't find out that little detail until well after they were a couple, complete with sex... oh yes and while I'm usually iffy on smut scenes in manga I would have loved for this one to be more detailed. Ah well, can't have everything I suppose.
Finally the art is lovely and we get both POVs (although it's mostly Ai's POV) for maximized melodrama. What more could a trash panda like me want. LAMO!
Author: Yamazaki Kore
Summary
Kanako is a young woman who is running an old book store. One day, a customer comes in who shares her taste in books. He's a teenager named Akio, and he and Kanako quickly find that their taste in books is only the first of many ways that they fit together well. Kanako immediately realizes she wants him, and soon blurts out awkward things, like proposals of marriage and cohabitation. Despite their different ages and their awkwardness, it seems like their relationship has the potential to grow into something beautiful.
My Review
I'm normally not a fan of older woman/younger man but something about this manga caught my eye. And I'm really glad I read it. For one thing I love characters who love to read and both of the lovebirds fit the bill. And really they fit each other like a hand in glove, just a really sweet and adorable couple. It's not all sunshine and roses, both characters have some trauma (family issues) but the bit of bitterness only enhances the sweetness, imho.
Author: Clamp
Summary
One day, Sakura Kinomoto accidentally opened a book containing dozens of magical cards called Clow Cards, and they scattered around her hometown of Tomoeda. Sakura was chosen to be the master of these cards and has been enlisted by the sun-based guardian Kerberos to use her magic and reclaim these cards before they make any more trouble in town. She is encouraged by her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, and she meets a rival cardcaptor, Syaoran Li, who is a direct descendant of the creator of the Clow Cards.
My Review
This manga is way too cute for words, which considering it's Clamp is kinda surprising. I'm a huge fan of complicated magic systems which this manga handled both very well. It's a well balanced and elegant system. Seriously it's on my list of to reads if you want to create your own magic system for whatever reason. I would have liked to have seen more of the fortune telling aspect though.
The characters are well rounded and enjoyable to watch, their relationships are sweet and well written (heads up though CLAMP loves a problematic relationship). Sakura is especially adorable and very strong, both physically and mentally. She also is very athletic which, I will always enjoy a female character who has something she's good at.
The art is wonderful and well detailed, the pacing is slower but that's not a bad thing. It also feels so different from any other magical girl I've read/watched and I'd love to see similar systems in the future. Cannot recommend this one enough.
Weirdly enough I do not care for it's sequel Clear Card nearly as much. I've tried reading it a couple times and DNFed it both times. Also I've yet to watch the anime but it is on my list.
Author: Mitsuki Kako
Summary
Our protagonist, Hikaru, is a member of the astronomy club at her school. On one beautiful starry night, she encounters a tall boy with blonde hair that looks almost white. However, he turns out to be...?!
My Review
This manga holds the honor of being my favorite romance story. It's so slow and sweet and just enough drama and sadness to keep it from being cloying. The art is gorgeous, the characters are all well thought out (even the annoying ones) and it's damned near perfect.
Hikaru is probably my favorite non-magical girl protagonist. She's so sweet and friendly and loving but with quite the backbone. She never really crosses the line into being mean about it though. And her head may be in the clouds most of the time but she's also got her feet planted firmly on the ground. All in all an excellent protagonist.
Her love interest Asou is just as sweet as she is but he's a bit less overt about it. He can be scary to most people (and has quite the reputation for being a bad guy) and even aggressive if it's to protect those he cares about but he's never mean or anything to Hikaru.
The characters around them are alright. I dislike Asou's sister in law and Hikaru's brother cause she is way to into the lovebird's business but they're both handled nicely. And afterwards agree to not cause anymore trouble.
Overall the plot of this story is well told and we get several date chapters for maximined cuteness. And a happy ending for our lovebirds right as they're graduating high school and moving on with the rest of their lives. Sadly we don't get to see a wedding or anything but I'm sure they'll live happily ever after. But yes I absolutely recommend this manga to pretty much everyone looking for a good love story.
Side Story: Melancholy Library
This is an unrelated side story. Nice little oneshot of a teacher/student relationship with a bit of a twist. I kinda wish Mitsuki-san had made it a full story though.
Author: Nakatoka Kumiko
Note: Ongoing Series
Summary
A sweet and comfy Teacher/Student romance.
My Review
I have an unreasonable amount of love for this series. I love teacher/student relationships anyway and this one is my favorite. It's just sweet and soft and adorable and dawwww!!! The lovebirds fit really well together and the relationship between them has just enough drama to keep things interesting without ever making me ask myself "why are they together again." The characters are clearly sexually attracted to each other but they haven't had sex yet. As most shoujo/josei are either pure love where we're lucky to get a kiss or smut fests I quite enjoy how the writer handles these two. I also like how Shiota has his moments of doubt about how good he is for Amai and moments where it's clear he's as smitten as she is.
The only thing I do want in future chapters is more flashbacks from before they got together/them getting together. What we've gotten so far has me fascinated and I'd love to know the rest of the story. But as this manga isn't finished yet there is still a chance this will happen. *fingers crossed*
Finally the humor can be a bit hit or miss for me but the support cast are all great, the plot is simple but fun (it's a slice of life), it's episodic but there are some arcs tying things together a bit, all in all this is a great manga for when I need a quick pick me up or I'm bored and just want to read something fun.
An anthology of teacher student romantic relationships. (9 stories)
My Review
I'm not sure if I'm going to review any more anthologies (mostly because I don't know how) but I will say that I do love most of the stories. Stories 5, 6, and 8 are the only ones I don't like and 3 out of nine isn't bad in my experience.
The rest of the stories were all really good and none of them felt similar to the others. If you enjoy short stories and messy problematic relationships I think you'll find something here you'll enjoy.
Honestly though, I'm mostly reviewing it for story 9. It's a Shiota-sensi to Amai-chan story, and probably my favorite story of them to boot. So if you read that manga I highly suggest you read this chapter at least.
Author: Usami Maki
Summary
Kanae, who's just been through terrible heartbreak, decides to take a vacation to the mountains, hoping to take her mind off of things. Her skiing instructor turns out to be more of a comfort to Kanae then anything, and she finds herself slowly opening up to him. Unfortunately, before long, it's time to say goodbye... But this isn't even close to the end of their story!
My Review
I have to admit this one surprised me. The story is more melodramatic than I usually prefer, I don't get nearly enough of the main couple being cute together, and it takes itself a bit too seriously and yet I do enjoy this story.
Kanae is an interesting heroine, she's very spoiled but honestly she isn't very loved by most of the people in her life. That's not to say she had no one before Eiji but they're aren't in her life for the most part and for various reasons. She's both very strong willed and very prone to crying. She seems like she only cares for herself but really she's a very loyal and loving person. All in all a very flawed yet excellent character.
Eiji is also a good character... that boy tries to do what he thinks is the right thing, leave Kanae alone but he can't quite manage it. I do wish we'd have gotten a bit more of him away from Kanae though. He's just a bit one note compared to her. The other characters are ok, they do what they need to do for the story but honestly I kinda forget about them.
The b plot was ok... I thought it was interesting to have a teacher sexually harass a student in the same manga that has a teacher/student relationship you're suppose to root for. Overall a solid manga that I enjoy but not quite to the point of calling it a favorite.
Author: Yukimaru Moe
Summary
Even though she is 15 years old, Hiyori is very small. She is only 140cm / 4'7", and she is very shy. After an accident, she didn't go to school for a year... But now she is back, how will her classmates treat her? Will she find friends and maybe even more?
My Review
I'm of two minds about this manga. It is a very cute story. I loved Hiyori (I'm very shy myself) and I enjoyed watching her grow as a person through out the manga. I also liked Yuushin (love interest), to my surprise since very outgoing people are very hit or miss for me. I also enjoyed their relationship throughout the entire manga.
On the other hand I thought the manga drug a bit after they got together. Mostly because the manga focused on other characters I didn't care for as much. I also felt the relationship was a bit too pure, we don't even get a kiss for goodness sakes.
Authors: Ichi Kotoko; Kagami Hana
Summary
Miku Hoshino is a just a regular girl who thinks of nothing but her favorite idol, Rei, from the totally popular group M.A.G. When her school duties make her miss the concert she was desperately hoping to go for, she does what any girl would do — takes the help of a witch! But when the witch turns Miku into a witch, too, her life becomes anything from ordinary...and a certain keen-eyed detective seems determined to keep it that way!
My Review
This manga is... one I'm of two minds about. It's art is gorgeous (seriously even if you don't read the manga please do a quick flip through for the art) and the heroes are solidly written for the number of characters and the length of the manga. And the character development, while limited by length, was believable enough, for some characters
(Baby Mint, my beloved!) more than others. The series is neither too light and fluffy or too grimdark (I'd say it's similar to Sailor Moon there). I also quite like the magic system where each girl has her specialty but there are also spells all the girls can do and just the witchy vibe in general. Finally I quite liked the Miku's love interest, he was both a great character and had great chemistry with Miku.
However this manga also has several issues. First of all there is the pacing. I will never understand how this manga managed to feel both way too fast and way too slow at the same time. I think part of the problem was this was a team rather than a single character. Look, a five girl team + the MC's love interest + two mentor figures + a whole team of baddies is just way too many characters for a manga this long. With the exception of said baddies (who were flat enough that I, someone who usually doesn't care if the bad guys are flat, as cranky) everyone could have used more room to grow.
Finally there's the ending... I'm not gonna spoil it but ooph talk about not sticking the landing. Actually, no, I am spoiling one part. Glitter Gold, one of the teammates, is queer, both in gender and sexuality... and she was the one the baddies corrupted and made a bad guy who wanted to force Miku to choose Gold over her love interest. Yep folks, they went predatory lesbian stereotype on us. I also really didn't care for what happened after that either... IDK it just didn't work. And, to my annoyance, I can't quite put my finger on why, especially because several of the tropes used are ones I've enjoyed in other stories so. *shrugs*
Overall, I'm glad I read this manga, like I said the art is drop dead gorgeous, and there were parts that were amazing. However there is just enough that will probably prevent me from reading it again and I'm not sure I'd recommend it to other people for the story.
Author: Saitou Ken
Summary
After losing her parents in an accident, Chouko locked away her emotions. The one who promised to look after her until she graduated from high school was the novelist Kei, a distant relative. He also cradles darkness in his heart, and as her graduation approaches, his newest novel Hana is announced, a work charged with his feelings!? This is a romance manga spun with emotion.
My Review
This manga is rather like dark chocolate. It's very bitter sweet with a richness that is just amazing. I will say though if you like healthy relationships or do not like seeing mental illness (presented... well lets just say I've both seen way worse handling of mental illness and way better.) in your stories I do not recommend this one. But if you're in the mood for something dark and fucked up yet sweet and oddly wholesome at the same time, I can absolutely recommend this manga. If nothing else read the first chapter. It's absolutely the best part of the manga imho and would have worked well as a oneshot. Finally call me trash but I almost wish there had been a sex scene between Chouko and Kei... for no other reason than I think it would have been hot as fuck.
Author: Ichinohe Rumi
Summary
Although her mother was sometimes abusive, Wakaba's best memories are when they are together at home eating a homemade dinner. However, when Wakaba is abandoned by her only parent, she is left in the care of a distant relative - the young Hinata Kazutomo. Initially unhappy with the arrangement, Wakaba gradually begins to enjoy her time with Kazutomo, who is determined to help heal her wounds and get her back on track.
My Review
This manga is more a story about healing from past abuse and letting other people in than it is a romance. I think it does a fantastic job with the healing story and an ok job with the romance. Mostly because I feel like Hinata takes a bit too long to figure out his feelings (understandably so but still it's annoying) and we don't get any real time with them as a couple. Finally it does make sense for her character but (spoiler alert) Wakaba does forgive her mom a bit fast for my taste. YMMV though.
Author: Kouchi Kaede
Summary
Shiharu is a high school student who loves kids, lives in an orphanage, and works at a daycare... Until the handsome uncle of two-year-old twins offers her a raise if she'll be their babysitter. Often relying on memories of her mother's actions for guidance, Shiharu quickly finds herself falling in love with her new makeshift family.
My Review
If you've read my profile you will notice this manga is on my fave list... there's a reason for that. This manga tries to do several things, slow burn romance, coming of age, cute slice of life, dealing with loss (and I mean all kinds of loss not just loss due to death) and it does them all damn near perfectly. In addition the characters are all fantastic, the art is gorgeous, the slice of life aspects are cute, it's very well paced (at no point did I feel the manga goes too fast or too slow which is a rarity for me)...
Just, look, if you can get over the age difference* and you're looking for something both fluffy and poignant I cannot recommend this manga enough.
There is a sequel called Life so Happy, I'm not going to review it fully (cause to do so would spoil the hell out of Love so Life) but I will say, while I didn't like it quite as much, it was an enjoyable read. If you've finished Love so Life and you want more I do recommend it.
*and if you can't/don't do large age difference relationships, oooboy are you on the wrong website because I love them.
Author: Mitsui Haruka
Summary
Hayama Kao yearns for an existence that would make people notice her. Now in high school, she is working as a temporary manager of her school's boys volleyball club against her will. Kao's older brother, an alumnus, currently a teacher and the advisor of the club, placed the responsibility on her shoulders to recruit Kuze Nagisa for the volleyball
club if she wanted to quit being the manager.
Then one day, she notices something that took her breath away. It was bluer than the sky, even bluer than the sea; it was Kuze Nagisa practicing volleyball all on his own. The blue days start from here!
My Review
My notes say "that this was very 'Standard Shoujo Romance' but in it's defense it was done very well." LOL but yeah it's a slow burn romance mixed with a coming of age story for Hayama, and a sprinkling slice of life and all handled very well. Hell, I even enjoyed the love triangle and that's not something I say often. I did feel like it drug just a bit right before the love confession though. Also some of the guys looked a bit too same-faced at times and it was hard to tell them apart. Finally, that ending was *chinhands* very cute and happy for now/hopeful ever after. A perfect ending for a high school romance, IMHO.
Author: Suzuki Yufuko
Summary
Haruhi, a 22-year-old machine operator, woke up one day to find that she drunkenly married an older man the night before. They make a deal and end up living together!
My Review
I had very mixed feelings about this one, but I did end up finishing and mostly enjoying it. I quite liked Haruhi, she's spunky and sweet even if she's bad at thinking things through sometimes. She's also very passionate about her work and just seems like a fun person to be around. Speaking of can I say how nice it is to see a woman character, who's working in a man's job, who is also respected by her boss/coworkers. She's also very proud of her work and even though you do see her in more feminine clothes sometimes the creator never does the "she cleans up nicely" or the "the tomboy vs the girly girl" bs that's so common with these kinds of characters. Just, you love to see it. This manga was also well paced and quite funny and touching at times.
My only real issue is most of the other characters. There's the Love Intrest who's backstory included an infidelity arc (he was the other man) which... not my thing. And he acted like his ex was crazy dangerous... Which....is a choice. Especally as while I won't call myself a fan (girl did cheat on her husband) I don't think she was nearly as bad as he made her out to be. What really frustrates me is that otherwise I quite liked the guy. He pulls Haruhi's tail a bit at the beginning but overall he treats her quite well and once they are together they are cute.
Next is her father... lets just say Haruhi gets her temperament from him. Which would be fine but he's a bit too... invested in his adult daughter's life for my tastes. The whole plot starts because he wants her working with his buisness (to the point where she feels like marriage is the only way she can stay where she's at) and he tries to set her up with her childhood friend. Which would be fine I guess? (at the time he didn't know she was with someone) but that friend was an asshole. That boy was way too pushy and refused to take no for an answer (no rape... but I wouldn't have been suprised if he had tried.)
One of the things I did like though is that while this is a comedy for the most part it does know when to be serious. And we did get some really cute bits with our couple both before and after the love confession. Overall I'm glad I read this manga but I'm not sure I'll read it again.
Author: Irono
Summary
Sarah, a 20-year-old college student, meets Minori, a 33-year-old strawberry farmer, while helping out with her grandfather’s business. Even though she’s terrified of Minori at first, Sarah begins to develop feelings for him as she discovers that he’s actually a very sweet person. Little does she know, however, Minori is also attracted to her!
My Review
This manga is probably the cutest flipping thing I've ever read in my life. On top of that it was well paced with no stupid drama with wonderful characters and some gorgeous art. Also the mangaka does one of my favorite things for romances. We get both Sarah and Minori's points of view. I love getting both lovers pov especially when one of the characters (Minori in this case) is very reserved and stoic. I also enjoyed Sarah coming into her own as a farmer and slowly realizing she loves it and wants to make a carrier out of it. All in all this manga shot up to number one on my favorite manga romance list and I will be revisiting it again whenever I just need nice and fluffy with minimal drama.
Author: Iwashita Keiko
Summary
After Shion's mother passed away, she was left with her father who loves to gamble and evade his responsibilities as a father. Due to that continuous pattern, Shion moves in to live as a live-in employee with 25-years-old florist Shun Mamyuuda. As she begins to learn the value of flowers and life, will she also find her place in love?
My Review
This manga might be my favorite romance and it's in my top five for sure. I love Shion, she's very feisty and strong-willedbut is also pretty sweet and sensitive, without feeling too tsundere for my tastes. She's also very funny imho and Shun works very well with her. See he tries to be all cool, calm and collected but he doesn't quite manage it most of the time. All in all a very fun dynamic and honestly I kinda wish hadn't had the large age difference, although that did add to the drama. They both also had shit going down with their pasts that make them a bit... iffy on love and, considering how short this manga was, I wouldn't have minded those issues be a bit more front and center, you know?
I also feel the dad's story was a bit too easily resolved. Maybe it's just my own daddy issues speaking but she forgave her father a bit too easy imho. Finally I would have liked a bit more of the ML squirming. It would have made the ending a bit more satisfying. With that said I did enjoy the ending. But then I rarely enjoy media unless it has a happy ending. Especially if I'm here for the love story.
Overall a very short and sweet manga I'd have no problem reccing to anyone, as long as you don't mind adult/minor romance.
Author: Iwashita Keiko
Summary
Miko leaves the house of her parents to live with her uncle who runs a boarding house, but her first meeting with Matsunaga-san isn't good and then he discovers that she is one of her uncle's tenants. Even as a secondary student she surrounds herself with university students who have a very different life from her own.
My Review
Very cute manga. Well balanced between the slow-burn romance and the slice of life boarding house shenanigans. I especially liked how the only real problem with our couple getting together was the large age difference. Mostly on the Matsunga's side, seeing how he's the adult here (what can I say, one of my favorite things about large age differences esp adult/minor relationships is watching the adult squirm like a worm on a hook...). But Miko also has her struggles, mostly worrying that she's too young.
Either way we got a nice slow (but not too slow) burn; then a few chapters of them being together. Honestly I didn't care too much for the chapters where they are together. For one thing, I usually prefer the pining part of a story over the characters figuring out a way to be together part. For another, these two felt more coupley before the mutual love confession than after.
I also liked all the other characters in the story as well. They felt fleshed out for the most part and their stories were a nice break from the main couple's problems without ever taking over the story. I even liked the female love rival, she was very sweet and when the ML told her he was no longer interested in her (they used to date)
she took it very well imho. Now the male love rival was a bit of a brat who couldn't take no for an answer but he was really the only poorly done character in my opinion.
Finally we got the time skip epilogue. Normally I'm not a fan of these but here it was handled perfectly. It really felt like time had passed in the four your skip in a way that most writers have trouble with. I also loved seeing the brief bit at the end of our Main Couple, now well established and comfortable with each other, just being way too cute for words.
