Ranked #220

Koukou Debut (Manga)

Seldom have I read a long running shoujo manga that I've enjoyed so immensely. Everything from Koukou Debut from it's characters to it's art was really enjoyable for me!

The premise is simple, yet refreshing - Haruna, whom devoted all her time to softball in middle-school, wishes to get a boyfriend in high-school and lead a "normal" teenage girl's life. She bumps into Yoh, resident aloof hottie and teenage heartthrob, and gets him to be her "coach", but with the condition that she mustn't fall in love with him!

Although we all know that the condition will sooner or later be broken, Koukou Debut still manages to keep things fresh after that, from thrusting the unknowing couple into peculiar scenarios (and often to hilarious effect), to quieter scenes where they share their thoughts. The mangaka manages to make each character believable and lovable through their interactions and that I think is one of this manga's strong points!

On the down side though, some people will find certain scenes cheesy, although I personally feel there's a fine line between cliche and an "Awwwww that's so sweet" moment!

So if you're prepared to laugh your head off, squeal like an excited fangirl, and even feel tears well up in your eyes, then I definitely recommend you come on board the Koukou Debut emotional rollercoaster! read more

This is such an enjoyable manga in every way possible. The story is lighthearted, but not superficial nor dumb; it is a typical shoujo manga that should satisfy any fan of the genre, yet there's still a freshness to it that won't make you feel like you've already read this a thousand times before.

The story's premise is fairly simple. Haruna is a tomboyish girl who spent most of her junior high school involved in sports, and now that she's in high school, she wants to get a boyfriend and learn how to act and dress like a girl. The problem is, she has no idea how to do it. Even though she tries her best to follow magazine's advices and her own misguided intuition, it all ends in disaster.

By chance she meets Yoh Komiyama, an attractive guy who knows how to improve a girl's appearence to boost. Fortunately for Haruna, Yoh goes to her school, and after she begs a bit, he gives in and accepts to be her "coach" in the whole dressing-up/ dating deal.

I think that one of the most attractive aspects of this manga are the characters. They are all so interesting and well developed! Haruna is not the stereotypical shoujo heroine, even if by description she might sound like it. She's so naive, pure-hearted and clumsy, and yet so strong, determined and brave that you can't help but love her. Yoh seems like the typical cool, reluctantly popular hero, but he's endearingly honest, sharp and full of issues regarding relationships. The supporting characters are equally complex and charming and not just faces to help move the plot along.

The way the relationship between Haruna and Yoh develops and make them evolve and overcome their flaws is done with care and love for the characters, which is a bonus for this mangaka. She definitely knows her characters and never betrays their true nature.

As a conclusion, I can say that this story will make you laugh, get involved with it and leave you with a warm feeling when you've done reading each chapter. read more

Think She's All That meets My Fair Lady meets emo hottie! Haha, okay it's kind of hard to visualise all that. The story is touching because you feel so dearly for our heroine Haruna and love that she isn't clumsy, can lift 70Kg!, doesn't expect her boyfriend to come protect her, knows how to deal with jealous classmates and doesn't cry at every obstacle. The male lead was a bit well, unlikeable in my opinion but I suppose that's because he isn't a dashing Sir Lancelot like we've become accustomed to. He's equally shy and awkward when it comes to dating (though highly knowledgeable about the how to's and what to wear when), he's sweet and caring in a sort of uncommunicative manner, which is very realistic, and he always stands up for the heroine.

As far as the plot goes, I give full points to the mangaka for thinking up very innovative and realistic situations to immerse our couple into, from first kiss and it's after effects, to first date, first parent meeting, first overnight trip, even the first time Yoh steps outside his comfort zone. You really devour the manga because as it usual in shoujo, the couple aren't constantly kissing (even though I would have liked it if they did!), or caressing each other. In that respect, I think this is one very chaste couple! Almost any touch or physical intimacy is a big deal to both sides!

The story deals with real life routine very well. Each character is constantly changing clothes within one chapter which makes it very charming. The supporting cast, which I wouldn't exactly label 'supporting' as they are equally enchanting, are thought up carefully and very deliberately add to the main storyline. I particularly like Asaoka, Yoh's good friend and his quiet mirth. Unconventional issues such as an overbearingly possessive sister, a girl taking on the protector role, parting due to college and hoopla over a mistaken kiss are refreshingly introduced, which are disarmingly entertaining.

I think the best part of this story though lies in the fact that the couple did not fall in love at first sight (Though returning a shoe is a very novel premise!). They each saw appealing qualities in one another over time and love blossomed once friendship grew. That to me was very sincere. Of course the fact that the female lead wasn't a hopeless whimpering damsel is an added plus!

You have to love these personal unconsious habits characters remain loyal to. Yoh and his mother tend to itch their chin with the opposite hand often. Asami always hides her hands in long sleeves and I Haruna's expressions are ... priceless always, especially when she's repeatedly told not to fall in love with Yoh (rather PRESUMPTUOUS of him I think!) read more

The shoujo romance genre has such an enormous amount of stories published by many authors, that its extremely difficult to find a diamond in the rough. More often than not, all of these stories have extremely similar female and male leads in extremely similar situations that many times, differentiating a story from one manga to another can be difficult. Koukou Debut (High school Debut) is a manga that attempts to do that, and does so wonderfully for the first half of its story. However, it then takes a dive in the second half of the story and utilizes typical shoujo plot devices that makes it lose the identity it built up for itself during the duration of the first half of its run.

Koukou Debut is a story about the relationship between Nagashima Haruna (our female lead) and Komiyama Yoh (our male lead). Haruna is a girl who is determined to find a boyfriend now that she has entered high school, but has no experience whatsoever in the opposite sex. On the contrary, she tries everything that dating magazines say, but it all ends in futility. On a fateful meeting with Yoh, who's your typical bishounen male who has a cool and collected exterior, but soft on the inside, has sworn off women due to past experiences. However, he knows exactly what guys want and thus, Haruna asks Yoh to be her "trainer in love" to help her find a boyfriend. He reluctantly agrees to do so, on the one condition that she does not fall in love with him. Thus begins the journey between these two star-crossed lovers.

As far as shoujo romances go, this aforementioned plot is actually intriguing and somewhat original. However, this intriguing plot only lasts for the first half of the series, where in the second half, the plot becomes more or less several one-shot stories or events of daily happenings between the two. The author uses all of the cliche'd plot devices in the second half and it seems like it has become like every other shoujo out there.

The art, although very reminiscent of shoujo-type art, is very rough. As with all manga, the art improves as the story goes along, however, I feel the art actually worsens once you hit the last few chapters. Character designs seem really rough and incomplete at times, but I assume that's to be expected with 40+ page releases every month.

As the plot goes, so do the characters. Both leads are fairly interesting in the beginning of the story and the side characters do enough to help compliment the leads. However, Haruna - throughout the entire story - never develops from her insecure, crybaby self, as in almost every single chapter, she cries over the smallest of things. Yoh definitely goes under the most development through the story, but this is brought down by the lack of development of Haruna.

Even with all of its flaws, as a fan of shoujo romance, I still enjoyed this manga. It was able to bring about a certain charm with its supporting characters to help offset a weak main lead. In addition, one has to be in awe at Yoh and how he is able to handle every single fickle mood swing Haruna displays in each chapter. As I mentioned, the first half of the story really shines and gives Koukou Debut its identity. But for some odd reason, the mangaka decided to follow traditional shoujo plot devices with the second half, and in consequence, loses that identity it had built up.

I know I'm probably in the minority in my views of the manga, but I thought I'd give another view of this story. Regardless, any shoujo fan will undoubtedly love this story as it contains all the typical shoujo plot devices. However, if you're looking for something that goes outside the box and attempts to break the medium's constants, after reading the first half of the story, you'll have to look elsewhere for that. read more

I have read 8 volumes of this title so far,so i thought i was good to write a review about it :)

Story:This is a typical high school comedy-romance with some small dramatic elements.The story is about a tomboish girl,Haruna ,that entering High School is decided to find a boyfriend,and thats when she meets Yo,a superpopular guy,with an 'eye' about this stuff,and asks him to be her trainer.It really is cliche as story,but enjoyful.As the story goes,the relationship between Yo and Haruna develops more and more.

Art:The art is good enough for a shoujo manga,but i have seen better.
I didnt like how the artist designs them with the mouth open sometimes for example,looked a bit unnatural.The eyes-design though is pretty good,and makes nice hair.

Character:That is the strong part of this series.The characters.
Haruna,the tomboy,masculine girl that was playing baseball in middle school and had no time for anything else.She is incredibly optimistic,good hearted,and naive.And when it comes to a hard situation,she always gives her best shot.Yo,is the popular pretty boy type as teh series start.He seems to have some bad experiences with girls in the past,and he seems that cant stand them.Besides that,he is incredibly smart,doesnt misunderstand serious situations,thing that happens to many shoujo manga,and has a good personality also.Their friends are also quite interesting characters too.

Enjoyment:There goes another 10.Because this manga is really enjoyful from first to last page.I cried and laughed in different parts of the story(ok i cried only once,i know that at the end of each volume all goes good :D ).I really couldnt stop reading it,i read all 8 volumes that were realesed there as fast as possible.And,i am still asking for more :) read more

Koukou Debut, aka Highschool Debut, I would recommend to any reader, as it's enjoyable, heartfelt and a laugh-out-loud.

Unlike what other reviews have been saying, in my opinion it's not, "cute, loud girl meet hot emo boy". I do think that Haruna (main character) is very outspoken and naive, but it makes her enjoyable as a character. I wouldn't say that she's ditzy, but she is eccentric and more importantly, eager and motivated.
The first reason I'll give to why I enjoy this manga, is because it makes me wish and hope. Sometimes it makes me a little lonely, truthfully, but living with the aspiration that Haruna has in the manga would make life enjoyable, as her life is. I may be taking this point and the characters a little too seriously, but the way the author had written the book and the things she made the characters think and say portrays the author's emotions and perspective as well, and it's something I would agree on.

Now, supposed "emo boy" (Yoh) in my perspective is NOT emo. I definately think he's introvert and a bit, but he sort of reflects someone who hasn't been enlightened in their life, not saying that depressed or anything. His character is intensely "Yoh", and he doesn't break away from that almost at all, including when he begins to soften up. I like how it's more of a subtle change and continues to fit him, but when I reread the manga (which I have many times) though it doesn't seem out of context.
When I think of being in the position of Haruna myself, I can't imagine how it's be to upkeep someone like him, because he seems very difficult, and because I (or many people) aren't as bold as her, the things Haruna may do or say sometimes to make him laugh or smile never cross my mind. I think that if a lot of people were in Haruna's position it'd sort of be like his ex-girlfriend, not exactly knowing how to please or keep in intrested. That, I'm not sure whether to critisize or not, because I guess that's a point which makes him difficult, but it also makes his character a bit impossible, so I'm not sure on that...
Hef, well anyways, I don't see him very much as the "boyfriend" type, and sometimes I obsess over the other male characters more than Yoh, but maybe altering him to make him a bit more enjoyable or interesting may either ruin the story, his seriousness or his character... I do like how the other characters are nicely intertwined with the story and each character gets a good amount of face-time, so despite how out of focus Yoh could be at times, but because it happens so little, I wouldn't complain over it. I'm simply... taking note of it.

My most favorite character would be Asaoka, I love how the author (Kazune Kawahara) plays his personality and character. Asaoka is intruiging and sweet, and his role in the book gives me very giddy feelings! If I were to write about him though, it'd mostly be about how much I love him, and I'd be a bit repeatitive, so in summary he's clever, funny, exasperating, and etc. I guess you could critique him on your own.

I don't have too much to say about the artwork aswell, for I enjoy the story nonetheless and the artwork was wonderful in comparison to most shoujos, though I must add that sometimes the hands looked a little funky.

My negatives about Koukou Debut, which I don't have many (only two) would be all in one dilema. The part where that one girl with glasses interferes bothers me a bit, though I must say that I love how instead of leaving the cold texts and "don't call me" stuff unsettled and unconcluded, Yoh and Haruna actually wonder about the strangeness of it and look into it at the end of the chapter (I'm so glad, I would've been totally upset, because if such a thing were to be left alone it be a bad memory and it's be part of their relationship forever and maybe it'd be brought up at times of made them feel uncomfortable or saddened of how easily one another had abandoned their love). Yeah, I'm tkaing this a bit seriously. Anyways! The parts which I didn't like was how Yoh had smiled to much with the girl. It's not exactly a negative about the story, but personally, it bothered me (as it did Haruna). The actual thing that bothered me, the second one, was of Haruna's sudden weight gain and loss. It was very unnatural for the transformation to happen so quickly, which I'm not bothered by how she large, the fact doesn't bother me, just the weirdness of the time lapse (though I know it's a manga and absurd things can happen, but it just seemed so flawless before...). I'm being knit-picky though, just because I loved it totally and completely overall, so it was insignificant compared to the rest.

I really would reccomed this manga to anyone, and this Shoujo is the only shoujo I read and like/love, as I don't really care for them, but Koukou debut has made me cry several times. I know that later on I won't be too proud of this review and how I've made it too personalized, but I guess these are just my general feelings on it. 10/10, one of the best stories I've actually ever read. I really hoped that Kazune Kawahara's one shot sequel "Enren Debut" would have made it, but sadly it didn't, check out the first and only chapter of it if you like. I wish to buy the series for myself if I ever get the chance, and thanks for reading if you actually made it to the end of this review. read more

I really enjoyed this manga!
I was captivated from the first chapter~ Koukou Debut will fill you with tears from laughter and warm your hearts!
Haruna is a tomboy, and when told "don't fall in love with me", it's obvious she can't avoid the inevitable right?
Well, Yoh, her coach is a very appealing boy in this manga and gradually softens up due to Haruna's influence, optimistic and clueless personality ^^

RECOMMENDED =D

I've read all 30 Chapters so far within half a day - you can read it at onemanga.com =)
(I really wish others would post a link as to where we can read all this anime you know!?!)

Anyhow, I really enjoyed this manga =]
And I hope you do too! read more

This was the first manga I read (ever) and it was the best decision that March.

A fun and exciting take on life in general with lol moments.

Summary:
Haruna Nagashima wants what (almost) every high school girl wants, a boyfriend. Ex baseball player with an optimism to match no other, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that.
She does everything the magazine and manga tell her to do, makeup, clothes, hair, "what am I doing wrong?"
In a Cinderella style fashion she meets, Yoh Kamiyama, not exaggerating there really was a shoe involved. He helps her and walks away, leaving Haruna wondering who he is.
After trying and failing at getting guys to approach her, her friend gives her an idea. To look at it from a sports perspective, what does every team need? A coach.
Who better to coach her at becoming the best girl out there than, the school's top guy, Yoh?

[SPOLIER] I don't think it's a real spoiler since they are on the cover of every manga together but, Yoh agrees (you would too if Haruna stalked you) as long as she promises not to fall in love with him. "Okay"

Now, if you're thinking that this is just like a regular shojo manga where they get together and live happily ever after...that's not the case at all.
They are too mismatched for that to happen, Yoh is a serious , aloof, popular guy who 'hates girls'. Haruna is a honest, tomboy of a girl, who wants to fall in love. Koukou Debut is their spiral into knowing each other and accepting someone for who they are.

End of Summary.

Characters: None of them are perfect and they each have qualities they wish they didn't.

Haruna- Though she is the protagonist and automatically she sounds like a stereotype, she isn't. What's amazing is her thought process and actions. She is gullible and sweet but she is also strong and will stand up what she think is right.

Yoh- Underneath his cold demeanor is the sweetest smile you have ever seen. Though he dislikes girls because they 'randomly get depressed and cry' he does decide to coach her and that shows that deep inside he wants to help.

Asami- Yoh's younger sister, has a real brother complex. you don't notice right away but her character was the one that seemed the realest from the manga, maybe because underneath the pretty exterior she was as human and scared as the rest of us.

There are other charcaters like, Asaoka and Fumiya who are Yoh's friends and play parts in this manga, but they don't really give them back stories but their present lives were the ones that gave this manga light. And let's not forget Mami, Haruna's best friend, she is the best, best friend anyone could have, why? because she supports you, even when she thinks what you're doing is COMPETELY insane.

The Art in the manga was great. Their expressions were unique and believable, just because you know their characters doesn't mean they shouldn't feel human. And if I'm being honest, just watching how Haruna dresses herself made laugh.

At the end though, it teaches you the best lesson you could learn. Who you are is amazing and you shouldn't change.

With that in mind I'll leave you with a quote from no one other than Haruna,
"I'd rather strike out by swinging than just watching it pass by."
read more

The story of Koukou Debut is lighthearted, makes you feel those "butterfly kisses" and brings a definite slice of life as you read each chapter. Anyone who loves romance-type manga will surely find Koukou Debut enjoyable to read and they could easily relate to the story.

The fluffy romance between a tomboyish girl and Mr. Popular goes like this. Haruna Nagashima can be described as a butterfly trying to get out of its cocoon, strong-willed and has a lot of determination.Her life in junior high focused in playing softball BUT now that she's going to high school, she wants to have a boyfriend and have the high school romance of a lifetime. Now the question is...how will she do it? Fortunately for her, she meets Yoh Komiyama (a popular, not to mention, hot upperclassmen of hers) by chance. With a little bit of push, Yoh agrees to coach her to overcome her jock-like attitude and turn herself into the kind of girl who can attract a guy.Sounds too good to be true? Think again! He agrees to help Haruna with one condition: She had better not fall for him!

The characters are a total masterpiece. You could really see the change within them and it is easy to put yourself in their shoes.You will even find yourself supporting Haruna on her quest to find a boyfriend, after all she's the type who'll you really want to help. Why do I say that? It's because Haruna is a very lovable character,being a klutz, naive and all. Don't forget her cute antics! With her personality shining in a pink color...what could be a better contrast for it than blue? Yoh is surely "blue" for me. He is the 'cool' type and naturally popular to girls;deep inside him lays an honest,shy and a guy who has insecurities about relationships and stuff :).

What I loved about this manga is the romance between Haruna and Yoh, taken in an average-paced manner which really helped in showing that in love...nobody's perfect. You could really see how they fell in love with each other, considering Yoh's past and the couple's insecurities as to think if they're really the one for each other.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I am sure you will do to. This manga could actually increase your self-esteem and see things in a different perspective when it comes to relationships. As to conclude my review...
"Koukou debut is like a cake. Sweet and fluffy with a slice of life in every bite" read more

Koukou Debut is about Nagashima Haruna, a tomboyish girl that has just entered high school. In middle school she was the star softball player neglecting the idea of love or being in a relationship. Since entering high school she has decided that her goal is to find love. Unfortunately, she has no sense of fashion skills at all. She reads too many fashion magazines and just combine them all. One day she meets Komiyama Yoh, a cool high school hottie. She begs him to coach her on how to look good, which he agrees to, under one condition: That she must not fall in love with him.

Story: The overall plot is quite good. Since it is a shojo manga, there will be the typical rival love or heartbreaks. However in this manga series the way the author depicts these scenarios are quite different than the others I have read. There will be times where you think the story is going to go one way, then you see that it was actually going a whole entire different direction. So this just made the manga more enjoyable because it was not so predictable. Also I have to mention that this is all told through Haruna's point of view, since she is pretty innocent, there will be times where you will just laugh.

Art: The artwork is really good. You can tell that the artist spent a lot of times drawing these characters. There are a lot of details in the clothes and the character looks pretty realistic, compared to the generic manga characters where sometime their hair or eyes just seem impossible.

Character: The character development is just outstanding. The tomboyish, all happy, clumsy, and somewhat dumb heroine Haruna would just make you laugh. Her personality is just really fun to look at. While the cool cold secluded Yoh slowly become less shy. What I really like about this manga is how both Yoh and Haruna each slowly influence each other causing each to change. Also the supporting characters has their own character development too. So you just don't see the supporting character as just there, but as actual characters with their own personality too.

Enjoyment: This manga was really great. There were many parts that was just funny, especially how the author drew these characters. Some scenes I just couldn't help but laugh, and some scenes were just so cute and sweet. The characters all develop well as they solve problems. The character development in the supporting characters were awesome, though I believed that the author could have developed some more than others. Also I reallly loved the way how some situations just turn out in a way that you would not expect at all. I really loved this manga and it was extremely enjoyable. Well hope you enjoy it too! read more