Aug 19, 2023
Gyaru to otaku ha wakariaenai is a cute comedy centered around Hayaotome, a gyaru who is a closet idol otaku, and Otonashi, a gloomy loner who is secretly a cute idol. The story starts with Hayaotome discovering that her oshi Ten is actually Otonashi.
There are also various other characters that are friends, or become friends with our main couple. They're all fun, but Hayaotome stands out as best girl. Her passion for her oshi Ten is quite extreme, which is the cause of much comedy. And her straightforwardness makes her very likeable.
When the characters voice some feelings and opinions about being an idol it comes
...
across as coming from a place of genuine feeling.
That is not to say that this manga gives a 'realistic' portrayal of the idol industry and its dark sides. The tone is hopeful and positive, which is suitable since being hopeful and positive is an important part of idol culture itself. There is some light drama, but it is solved in a positive manner without being dragged out.
About halfway through the manga the series diverts a bit from being a character based situational comedy and becomes more of a romcom. While I was shipping the characters from the start, I really could have done without chapters about romcom drama such as being in denial about your feelings. And the ending is pretty open, which means you don't get the feeling of reward that one might expect after sitting through romcom drama (however light).
While the romcom aspects of the series aren't that great, it wasn't dragged out much and the characters are still fun. So the 2nd half of the series was still entertaining. But considering that the first few volumes almost continuously plastered a grin on my face, the 2nd half was disappointing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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