Manga Review: Koukou Debut

Shoujo: Koukou Debut
Mangaka: Kawahara Kazune
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo, School Life
Rating: 10/10

Summary [from baka updates]:

When Haruna Nagashima was in junior high her life consisted of playing softball and reading comics. But now that she's going to high school, Haruna decides to put all of her energy towards getting a boyfriend and having the high school romance of a lifetime. To help in her quest, she enlists cute upperclassman Yoh Komiyama to coach her as she eschews her jock tendencies and turns herself into the kind of girl who can catch a guy. Yoh agrees, but with one exception: He tells Haruna not to fall in love with him!

Another great shoujo manga. Number 3 on my Favorite Shoujo Manga list! Among others like Hana Kimi and Beast Master, this one definitely caught my attention and I am so happy to have read this great piece of work.

This was so amazing that it made me laugh and cry. I absolutely did not want it to finish it, though it ends with 5 volumes, 52 chapters. I will always love this manga. The plot is original, surrounding an idea I've never encountered before. In addition, I instantly fell in love with the characters. Haruna is not your typical everyday girl - she's strong and a little insecure, but she's the type of person who doesn't give up on her goals. The way she does things makes you laugh out loud. The male main character Yoh is a very particular character, whom I fell completely head over heels for. He is quite the opposite from Haruna - he's reserved and cool, but there is still an undeniable amount of attraction between them. Yoh' s ways of expressing his love is quite different from what you might imagine, but Haruna is not the weak girl who can get easily affected by his harsh words. It's interesting to note that most of my fellow shoujo-readers thought he was the awesomest guy ever.

I fell in love with this manga so much that I think I'm becoming a shoujo manga otaku. This manga made me crazy about it to the point where I didn't want it to end. I mean, it was hilarious to the point of tears, the romance was there, and in each scene you could see in detail the characters' expressions and feelings. Until the very end, it kept me at the edge of my seat. Again, since the story revolves around high school, there are a few love triangles, a lot of humor, and a refreshingly youthful romance. The characters have very distinct personalities, though they work together very well. It's a masterpiece - you will surely love this manga and will never let go.

To read it: Koukou Debut

By: Eli
Edited By: Annie