This manga was the truest to reality a student-teacher relationship could be. This is a non-smutty teacher-student story; it leans more towards the touching and romantic instead of sextactic smut. More about how these types of relationships are just complicated and full of risk.
The art is simple, uncluttered, and cute without being cloyingly over-cute.
Overall, it is a very sweet shojo that I easily recommend to those sick of the obliviously idealized student-teacher relationship.
Jun 21, 2010
Reimei no Arcana
(Manga)
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Starts with a marriage of convenience between feuding royal families, complicated with racism and bigotry (about hair color and half-human half-animal "subpeople"). The main characters are both stubborn and really hate each other, but what else can this lead to but sweet sweet awkward jealousy. Who should she choose? The enemy with the grand gestures or the loyal friend? You'll be pulled apart, just like our heroin.
This manga is wonderful! A real hybrid of the Shojo and Shouen styles, a complicated romance for the not-girly reader. A really addicting read, and more than the average shojo has ... 
Feb 28, 2010
Nana to Kaoru
(Manga)
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This manga really surprised me. I have never been interested in S&M, and have a lot of the same prejudices as some of the characters, and the manga takes to time to show the intellectual and emotional development of someone who feels the same fears and apprehensions about it.
The manga is also a great breath of fresh air from the mussy shojo mangas. There is a great relationship underneath the plot line, but is also really genuine and sweet. I may end up getting my boyfriend a ball-gag :) 
Feb 26, 2010
Itazura na Kiss
(Anime)
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If you like hopelessly brainless girls with a hopeless love interest, then this the anime for you! Usually these unrequited love stories have the girl who may be weak and clumsy, even dumb, but they also have an indomitable will and can at least Cook their way into your heart. Not here. And the guy may be smart and popular, but also secretly sweet, but here the guy is manipulative, mean, and publicly humiliates the sad girl for his own amusement. I had a hard time finding interest and will to root on the couple at all.
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