It is, in my opinion, extremely realistic overall, but there is also a slight hint of classic shoujo--shy girl, no friends, afraid to talk to everyone--and instead finds joy in her online friends who comment on her blog, Black Rabbit and MegaPIG. No doubt, Koko ni Iru yo is one of the most encouraging manga I have ever read. Even if it is just a manga, it, at least for me, gave me courage and lifted my spirits highly. ^^
Art: Such pretty artwork! In my opinion it was above average of most shoujo. The official color pages were colored amazingly and the characters were very nice. And of course, the guys were total bishies. I've got to admit, I'm a big art freak--I usually can't read a manga with below average art. But I've got to say this mangaka's drawings are the best I've seen in a very long time.
Characters: I think the main character, Hikage, was extremely well developed. She starts out as an anti-social person who just wants to fit in and gradually, with the encouragement of her online friends MegaPIG and Black Rabbit, she does. It doesn't happen automatically like in some manga, Hikage trying to fit in actually takes time and I thought that was great. The other two main side characters, Hinata and Teru, I also thought were very nicely portrayed. ^^ I love them both and honestly, it's really hard to hate any character.
Enjoyment: I tried to stay up all night reading this but unfortunately I wasn't allowed to, heh~. I was so into Koko ni Iru Yo that I spent all my free time at school reading it. Because GOSH it's addicting. Most chapters left me hanging off my seat and wanting more.
Story: VERY sweet. I can't even describe the cuteness of this manga~. It's good all the way up to it's last chapter and in my opinion it was the perfect length. It didn't drag, and yet it wasn't too short either. I was personally very pleased with the final pairing, and I know some might think otherwise, but for me the person who she ends up with made this manga very unique. ^^ This storyline is definitely at the top of my list.
Overall: This manga will always be one of my favorites. Koko ni Iru yo made me smile the entire way through and was just amazing. You won't regret reading it, it's definitely one to pick up if you have time and a must-read. Don't judge a manga by it's cover, especially not this one. Ema Tooyama did a wonderful job on this series and everything turned out beyond my expectations.
