Nakahara Aya - Love Com, vol. 01 (Eng. trans.)

[oyceter]

Koizumi Risa is the tallest girl in the class, and Otani Atsushi is the shortest guy. Everyone pairs them up because the contrast is so funny, and the two have now decided to do something about it. They'll quash all "All Hanshin Kyojin" taunts by helping each other find dates. The problem is, the more they try to date other people, the more well suited they seem for each other!

Like so much of shoujo, you know exactly where this is going the second the characters are introduced. But Nakahara does it well, and she had me smiling through much of the volume because of how much I liked Koizumi and Otani. Not only do I like them, but I even think they work together as a couple, which sadly isn't always the case in shoujo. Even their squabbling comes off as good natured. I love the way they always answer questions at the same time with the same words and the way they geek out over a musician they both like. Mostly I just like how the two of them are endlessly enthusiastic and seem to have absolutely no ill will in their bodies.

Koizumi doesn't completely break the mold for shoujo heroines (she reminds me a lot of Haruna from High School Debut), but I like that she's not small and cute and girly, and that she stays up too late at night gaming and stressing about whatever big boss she couldn't kill. Granted, the manga version of "not girly" is still very girly by my standards, but she's still refreshing and fun to read about. I also love that Otani is not at all grumpy or angst or silent; he's cheerful and peppy and happy and smiles a ton. They are just so cute together! They grin all the time when they're not squabbling!

I also lilked what happened with the "find each other dates" plot, which could have dragged on for far too long. Instead, it's fairly neatly resolved, and in a way that may not be fully realistic (I wish I had been that mature in high school!) but makes me love all the characters more. And even the secondary couple in the volume is briefly but nicely characterized in a way that makes them feel like people, not tropes.

Fun and fluffy and happy-making, and I am sad my library only has volume 1.

Comments

[swanjun.livejournal.com]

One that looks sweet is Sweet Blue Flowers (or Aoi Hana). It's technically seinen, but as Yotsuba& proves, that doesn't preclude sweetness. :)

[octopedingenue]

I'm not sure from your wording whether you've read Sweet Blue Flowers; if not, let me chime in that it's VERY sweet, and strong with female friendships (and Takarazuka references)!

[oyceter]

Takarazuka references? Ooo! Do you think I would like it?

[octopedingenue]

I bet you would! Two girls who were friends as children meet again in high school; the story is mostly about them getting re-acquainted with each other in family life and school, especially as the more shy girl begins to come out as gay. I don't think her childhood friend is gay too, but she's very supportive and matter-of-fact. An older student the gay girl likes is an actress, very much in the cool otokoyaku type, so there is a lot of quiet squeeing in that regard. It's a very warm series without being Japan the Carefree Gay Mecca fantasy. And the art is so clean! There are downloads here.

[oyceter]

Yay, thank you! Haha, and I have just found out that I have apparently downloaded this once, probably thanks to your rec ;). Now I just have to remember to read it!