Bitter Virgin

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Bitter Virgin is a surprisingly mature, beautiful and dark story with a strange and misleading title. When I first saw the title of Bitter Virgin, I figured it was yet another mediocre Ecchi/Comedy that would feature some girl with overly sized breast to the point their unattractive embracing random men as their heads go into the breast. Classic joke isn't it? Of course thinking that, I decided to ignore the series, and wasn't even looking for a new series at the time, focusing on the things I was already reading. I heard it's name thrown around a couple of times afterwards, and finally looked at ... it. I was surprised to see that ecchi and comedy weren't even on the list, and instead it was a dramatic romance story. Though I couldn't help of thinking of NANA and how it portrayed the dramatic live of sluts (okay, okay, people who jumped from boyfriend to boyfriend and dreamed of having sex with various people) and got acclaimed (never liked sluts), I once again passed it. Today I decided to give it a chance, and it started off something like how I pictured it, the main character Suwa being a womanizer, attractive women chasing after him, and things similar, despite being done in a serious way. However things take a complete turn when Suwa is relaxing in a church that he spread rumors of being haunted, and hides when someone enters, thinking it may be one of the girls he just got away from. However he is surprised when it was the classmate, Hinako, that he tried to hit on only to have her run away. He pretends to be a priest, but ends up getting a confession, and a shocking one at that. Not just Suwa, I was pretty surprised at how serious the sudden plot twist was, and it didn't take long to realize how the story was going to be, a sad romance about overcoming the past, or something like that. Bitter Virgin is a misleading masterpiece, with a mostly dark but beautiful and hopeful story, with a great message.

Normally I would leave the secret as it is, a secret and let you hear it from the book and not me. However it seems other reviews have already told you, so I guess there's no point in not saying. Hinako got a stepfather, and her mother looked happier than ever, of course Hinako wanted her to be happy. However on the first night she was late for work, the stepfather grabbed and raped Hinako. Hinako burst into tears upon seeing her mother the next day, but the stepfather quickly showed up, and Hinako stayed silent, wanting her mom to be happy, and afraid of what would happen if she told. The stepfather continued doing it, and eventually impregnated her. Of course after suffering signs of it, she was taken to the doctor, and her mother found out she was pregnant. She got angry, and when Hinako said it was her stepfather, she didn't believe and made her get an abortion, and didn't tell their stepfather, not wanting him to think badly of her. It continued and she once again got pregnant, but this time was covered in bruises, and this time there was no escaping the truth of who did it. The mother made the stepfather leave, but Hinako was already sacred for life, and terrified of men. I'm sure you'll get what the rest of the story is about from that, and it is a beautiful and well developed story, as you watch Hinako and Suwa grow closer, as Hinako slowly accepts him more and more. Brilliant story, especially if you're looking for a more serious side of romance.

The art is pretty good and makes a mix of Seinen and Shojo drawing. I can remember moments with flowers blooming behind smiling or blushing characters, though the story is mature as hell, and at times it will reach a darker moments where the drawings move away from that style as well. Nothing particularly special, everything's drawn well, and doesn't really add to or distract from the series, and all the characters also look pretty good.

The characters are all done well, and despite the dark story actually mix in some comedy with it as well. Suwa is careful about getting close to Hinako despite his feelings for her, and is always looking out to protect her from men, though also tries to help heal her from her fears, of course he doesn't tell her that he knows here secret. Hinako is actually fairly happy, especially around Suwa, for the most part. Of course mentions of babies or being around males will scare the hell out of her are make her sad, but that's only normal. These are the two main characters, and there are also other re-appearing characters of course. Like Suwa's mother who wants him to get a local underage teen pregnant, and start his life as the keeper of her shop. More get introduced as time goes on, and they are all done well, with both a little comedy and especially having great drama ties to the story as well.

Overall Bitter Virgin is an amazing read despite it's short length, it stays focused on the true story without any non related side stories, and greatly develops the characters in that short time, as we get to slowly see the Hinako overcome her past, with a lot of help of course. Overall don't even think about the title, Bitter Virgin is an amazing read for anyone who likes the dramatic and mature side of romance, and is highly recommended to anyone who likes either genre.

“If this were a nightmare, then this is the part when I would open my eyes.”

Life.
It can be cruel and even when it's not it will tests you. Sometimes to see how far you can go before you break, or even after that. That’s how it is for characters in this story. This manga shines light into things that happen more often than not to women and their families but that we don’t think about until it happens to someone we love.
In case you’re wondering, it doesn’t just deal with a girl’s story into overcoming rape and pregnancy. It throws into a whirlwind everything ... you believed to be true, to be fair. You see the life of people you love crumble in front of you while you're defenseless to stop it. It’s about moving on and forgiving. And for some characters, it’s even about controlling your psychotic tendencies (you know who you are).

Daisuke is your average guy who helps out in his mom in her restaurant. He wants nothing more than to get into a far away university and never look back just like his sister did. In the mean time he’ll study for his exam and go out with as many girls as he can. He goes through more girls than people change socks which makes him a little bit of a player. But there is one girl not even he will touch and he’s not sure why. Maybe because she cringes whenever any guy even looks her way. Aikawa Hinako. A delivery job and a stalker girl later he finds himself hiding out in a church. While he’s leaving Aikawa walks in and on the presumption that he is a priest on the other side of that thin wall she confesses, everything. Rape, abortion and a baby, how can one girl who’s barely lived been through so much.

Through Daisuke’s eyes we get to see Aikawa, really see her. The way she acts, talks and smiles. Hides her pain from the world. We start to care for at the same time Daisuke does. Slowly she crawls into his heart and he starts to view the world differently and care for someone besides himself. Wants to protect her. He becomes more mature right before our eyes.

Though the manga would have been from Aikawa’s point of view but instead we get Daisuke‘s. Which turns out to be a good thing. She is actually a well rounded character and doesn’t easily drown in her own misfortunes like some people would. But she is also very human about what happens to her and doesn’t just swipe it under the rug. While reading some scenes I found myself getting angry at Aikawa’s life. The way she was treated by people who were suppose to protect her from harm and believe her above all else. Anyone else.

We also get rare glimpses into most of the characters mind. We experience them as people and see them for who they are, evil or not. Whether a role of villain or sidekick, it is played well. So well that sometimes it leaves you wondering how that person will react or what they’ll do. Every chapter is a cliffhanger in Bitter Virgin. It get’s a little frustrating but it’s nothing that takes away from the story, much.


Had the art been bubbly and perfect, I don’t think it would have gone well with the story. As it is, it just emphasis the raw feeling the manga gives. The not everything is beautiful and imperfection has it’s gloriousness feel. The expression sometimes weren’t the best, one scene reminded me of Liar Game, which would have been enough to make me drop the manga but the story was too absorbing to just drop there. The characters have this haunted look that help relate them to what’s going on. As a result it gets an 8 in art.

After all that’s said and done what makes this manga truly rare and priceless is that most of it is based events that happened to Kusunoki Tei, the author. Tei, went through something similar and I won’t tell you what part it is, you just have to read it to find out.

I have to admit, I've only just started reading this manga, and this is my first review.

A manga like this, with such a taboo plot, doesn't usually hit this close to home. Not to me, but with my very dear childhood friend. This is captured perfectly, the step-father's attempts, the mother thinking the child is lying, then when the mother was backed into a corner, she had no choice but to kick him out and beg for forgiveness.

Some of us have gone through things that happened in this manga, some can relate on another level, (for me it's the fear of men I have because ... I knew a molester like a neighboor, and my friend's brave struggles.) or just you want to see things from a new point of view.

This stories struggles with a strong and brave heroine, who faces her fears every day no matter what, and the people who grow to care about her.
This is a truly amazing manga.

Bitter Virgin is a really compelling Shoujo/Seinen, Slice of Life, Romance, Drama with a story that will blow you away. This manga deals with the terrible sorrows in life, so it’s definitely not for the fainthearted.

Daisuke Suwa is just your ordinary teenage boy who has been living a simple life but doesn’t enjoy it one bit. Then he soon becomes involved with his classmate Hinako Aikawa, after unintentionally learning about her deep dark secret. The story really gets serious, right from the start, which is pretty uncommon for your average romance. Though what intrigues me the most about the story is the bittersweet relationship that ... eventually developed between Daisuke and Hinako and how Daisuke was always troubled by what he knows about Hinako. Sure the fact that Daisuke, constantly worries about the issue with Hinako, does get wearisome after a while; the new situations that crop up become further compelling parts of the story (like the matter with Daisuke’s sister).

The characters of this manga generally cause a great deal of concern to those who read it. The story focuses on our two main characters; Daisuke a regular guy who ends up smitten over someone he would never consider and our heroine Hinako a girl who’s suffered a traumatic past. It’s really great how this manga gave an equal amount of focus on each of them, describing their thoughts and feelings when appropriate. Then there are other girls to consider (Kazuki & Yuzu), as they each make a huge impact on the overall romance, whilst another character makes an impact on the story.

Although when it comes to the artwork, it really doesn’t have much of an impact on this manga. Sure the characters look great and so does the backgrounds but there’s really nothing special about it, as you can easily find a bunch of shoujo manga that look just as great.

Overall Bitter Virgin is one of those tragic stories that will make you well-up with tears, but will still allow you to recover, with its endearing romance. Well there were a few annoying aspects about it, like the fairly unrealistic characters and how Daisuke kept on repeating the fact that she was ****ed and got ******nt. But apart from that, this was a good romance drama that can suck most people in. This mangaka managed to accomplish in 4 volumes what most manage to do in twice the amount and it had a decent ending to top it all off.

^_^

This Manga is a beautiful Manga with a truly unique storyline. The lead female character, Aikawa, has an extrordinarily designed personality and history, and the lead male character, Suwa, is so very sweet. This manga makes you feel a sympathy towards the main characters, particularly Aikawa.

I love this romance, of how Aikawa's story transform's the girl chasing Suwa into someone in love without her even noticing, and how Suwa changes Aikawa's view on men and love. over all i have fallen in love with this manga as it was the first ever shojo manga i heve ever read(i was not a huge fan of shojo ... before this).

the story is matched by the romantic well draw backgrounds and characters, using a traditional shojo theme with what i describe as a wispy and romantic way of drawing.

the only downside to this story is the unpredictable rate of scanalations coming out, they are very slow, but it's well worth the wait in my opinion.

Bitter Virgin is a short, four-volume manga about a girl with a secret and the boy who learns of it.

STORY - …Bitter Virgin isn’t actually about a bitter virgin. Quite the opposite, actually? To be honest, the shock value and tragedy of Aikawa’s secret faded relatively quickly for me (probably because of one too many episodes of Law and Order: SVU). The subject matter also reminded me a lot of those in Mondaiteiki Sakuhinshu (brought overseas as Confidential Confessions). Consequently, the story premise and flow felt rather typical and predictable in that romance drama sort of way. Nevertheless, Bitter Virgin is well told, and ... there are enough surprising little twists and interesting literary elements to keep a reader engaged and guessing. It has all of the things that keep the romance genre going strong, despite the shared basic plot. What I found most interesting though, was the fact that, as the series progresses, the themes explored gradually shift from one type of tragedy to another, and eventually, it connected the two as interesting foils. The further into it I got, the less typical things felt.

The emotional aspect of Bitter Virgin is very strong, particularly since Kei Kusunoki admits between chapters that she drew a lot of elements and inspiration from her own life and experiences. The story, while idealistic at times, still comes across as very heartfelt and sincere. Kusunoki also admits that her usual work is of the horror and comedic sort, and that this is her first romance, making it even more impressive.

CHARACTER - Like the story, both protagonists come off fairly typical at the beginning. Aikawa is a meek and quiet girl, and Suwa is a headstrong and impulsive boy. And yet, I warmed up to both of them very quickly. Both have an endearingly earnest quality to them that makes them likable, and no matter how many times these character archetypes are used, as long as they’re well-written and well-presented, they will work. Both characters also grow a great deal in the short four volumes, and they become truly multi-faceted. For example, Aikawa is noted to be terrified of men, but shows a lot of unexpected courage and resilience when faced with female tormentors. Her feelings for Suwa develop very gradually throughout the series, and Kusunoki is careful to make her thoughts and emotions at least somewhat believable. Similarly, Suwa’s initial interest in Aikawa is fraught with pity rather than any real kind of attraction; the progression is interesting to follow, and the lengths to which he feels he needs to go to remain appropriate to Aikawa are also rather admirable.

The supporting cast is also very strong, which I didn’t have expected at all. Suwa’s elder sister, in particular, in addition to being surprisingly headstrong and impulsive like her brother, becomes a startlingly significant role that contributes a great deal to the themes in the latter half of the story. Her presence contributes a unique perspective and forces those around her to consider many things in a difference light. Yuzu and Kazuki, Suwa’s classmates and respectively, his childhood friend and sudden girlfriend, are more predictable in their personalities, feelings, and eventual maturation, but both provide good support and drama and work well to round out the cast. Honestly, I didn’t find any of the characters particular irritating, which is a huge and thankful plus.

ART - Even though the marketed genre is seinen, the series’ art is pretty standard josei. It’s clean, elegant, and pleasing to the eye, but of a more mature aesthetic than typical shoujo — proportions are more realistic and there are less tonal flourishes like sparkles and bubbles, though they aren’t completely absent. I didn’t think much of it initially, but the style really grew on me as I progressed through the story. Kei Kusunoki is fantastic at depicting the emotions of her characters, which is unsurprising for the genre, but considering that she usually works in other genres, it might be a bit more notable. The art really helps heighten the sense of drama and suspense in many scenes, though the panel layouts are occasionally haphazard and confusing, especially when the gutter space is inconsistent or cramped. Because of the emphasis on emotions, there are a lot of close-ups and headshots, and backgrounds are lacking on many of the pages. Even the backgrounds that are present are contained within tiny panels, and yet, there is never any confusion as to where the characters are located, so I guess it works out well enough in the end.

OVERALL - Bitter Virgin is a good, quick read, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a serious and emotional story. The characters are sincere and their relationships are sweet, if a little idealized. The story’s themes become less shocking and more meaningful and powerful as the series progresses. That the author drew a lot of inspiration from her own life experiences also helps tremendously in relaying the strong emotions the characters experience, so the package is very much worth the time. Sadly, Bitter Virgin hasn’t been licensed for release in the US or elsewhere overseas, but honestly, I think it could do pretty well anywhere. It’s a pretty universal story.

The manga starts out like one of the typical school life manga involving a guy. The big tough playboy like guy who seems to want every girl. Then when one girl says a secret to him on accident, the storyline changes so fast its like getting smacked in the face by a freakin boxer.

To me, i found this manga to be one roller coaster of horror despite that not being one of its genres. The drama of this thing is so amazing, when i first found out what this story was going to be about, all i could say was... "Holy...sh-" with my blood ... pumping faster than it did when i watched Higurashi no naku Koro ni for the first time, and believe me, that anime was scary!!

Anyway, although this isn't my first shojou manga, this certainly gives me a more positive view on it...although it sure drops my faith in humanity's future...i can't believe some mem...they sure don't make the rest of us look any better...I hope and root for this manga to have a happy ending and i pray to Haruhi that the Tragedy genre will not come into this manga!!

Good Luck!!

I enjoyed the story of this manga, dark as it was, especially the relationships with the support characters. I felt it was a bit drawn out and repetitive in some of the interactions between the two main characters. The exchanges did not seem to add much of anything, other than really drilling the main plot point into the readers mind. Other than that, it was worth reading. While the story did not hit home to me personally, the side characters still pulled at my heart and made the entire story tragic for everyone involved.

Think of the worst things that can happen. It happens here. Not only that, but this manga takes the phrase 'from bad to worse' to a whole new level. Wow. I don't think I've ever read anything that rips out my heart like this manga.

Story: Like above. Wow. Just wow. Have tissues, and maybe someone to talk to about your feelings after this one, because just when you thought something good will happen- NOPE! But dagnabit, I want them to end up happy! So if that was the intent, well done.

Art: Didn't really do it for me. There was more than a few panels that ... were awkward. Maybe it might be your cup of tea, but not quite mine.

Character: They were, despite every horrible thing that happened, somewhat believable. I understood their motivations and wanted them to succeed, and there was a good deal of growth. Well done.

Overall- This plays out like some of Law and Order SVU, and it is a good read if you want a good cry. This novel is a good one, but very heavy. Worth a read, but not exactly a top priority. Just remember to talk to Olivia Benson about your emotions afterwards and hug a stuffed animal or something.

I read this on a whim, and man, do I ever regret doing so. Bitter Virgin is so poorly-written that it actually managed to offend me.

I found the premise intriguing: A girl, Hinako, works to move past horrific abuse at the hands of her stepfather. Unfortunately, Hinako isn't our protagonist. Instead, we get Daisuke, your average seinen guy. Appallingly, the story plays out in typical harem fashion. We're introduced to a couple of other potential love interests: a cute childhood friend and a haughty clingy-type. Both are completely smitten with Daisuke--one to the point that she will commit actual, not-played-for-laughs violence on rival Hinako. ...

This is very uncomfortable to watch, because Hinako isn't her own character. She doesn't have interests, hobbies, or personality quirks. She's defined by what happened to her, and later, by her relationship to Daisuke. Because her character is so underdeveloped, the scenes involving her trauma feel cheap and exploitative.

All this said, I feel the author genuinely set out to write something thought-provoking. I get the impression she was simply too unskilled to pull away from common tropes and stock characters.

I implore anyone reading this to educate themselves about violence against women.

Most guys will never understand the mind of a girl, and this manga is a great example of that.

Story: 9
This story follows Suwu, as he pretends to be a priest as a girl confesses her dark secrets to him. Because of these dark secrets (And they are pretty dark), he is enamored by her and an instinct to protect her kicks in for Suwu. The problem is, the girl does not know Suwu knows, and other girls at his school become jealous of the attention that Suwu pays to the girl.

This plot is started by a lie, a common story telling device, and ... a very predictable one as well. I can honestly say the story felt very standard, it followed what seemed like a preset of a love triangle (Square) and a story based off a lie. This doesn't mean the story was entertaining, just fairly predictable.

The pacing was fast, maybe it was because I was bored at night and couldn't sleep and plowed through this manga quickly. This fast pace wasn't anything bad though, it made it work with the story.

Art: 7
The art was pretty good, but not outstanding. I really enjoyed the design for all four main characters, albeit the female protagonist looked a bit cut and dry (Her dark secrets make up for that).

There is only one problem I had with the art, it was the first (and only) action scene, it wasn't poorly drawn, but I had to go over it multiple times to understand what happened.

Character: 8
I loved the main female protagonist, she was innocent mentally but non-innocent physically. She was a great character with a lot depth. Her emotions were controlled well, and I can imagine in my head that this is how a girl will act if gone through the terrible experience she has.

The male protagonist was not my cup of tea, he was so obsessive over the girl. The only problem to me, is that I don't if this is a good or bad thing! THIS MAKES ME SO MAD. I understand that he wants to protect her, so it is ok to obsess over her, but it is so creepy as well. I don't know. I may be the only one who is thinking this too.

Enjoyment: 9
I honestly wasn't expecting the dark secret, I saw a review of it (only yesterday) and quickly read the synopsis without giving it much thought. By the fourth page, i was completely in shock, like seriously wtf. I kept reading it and it kept getting more interesting even though it was predictable. As with other mangas, i have even expressed vocally how shocked or happy I was with some parts.

Overall: 8
This was a quick, but great read. Very enjoyable and I wish there would be more.

a manga that tackles a sensitive subject. it's quite rare for me to be attached so much to this kind of manga.

i believe that bitter virgin's story gives color to the lives of those women that had their rights violated, to women that continue to fight, and to women that would always repent for the sins they made on their past.

this also explains to the reader how such cases are viewed by other people.

hinako who had undergone hell through her step dad and by aborting her child twice suffers the pain and anguish of her past. the pain and anguish that continues to torment her ... present, challenging her daily whenever she sees children or men. her fear and regret that was subdued by daisuke that showed her kindness. the kindness of a man that she forcibly removed from her emotions due to the pain she experienced.

as the story progressed along, hinako's emotions slowly develop, relieving her of her fears and slowly beginning to make her face her regrets with a firm resolve and all this is because of daisuke's kindness. on the other hand, the story also shows how daisuke is careful with hinako's matter. how he is doing his best to not make her experience the bad things she had in the past all the while, experiencing her opening up to him slowly, able to face the world again with renewed strength.

the manga portrays how women are strong and fragile at the same time. how they face the world in the view of regret and fear and how good men play a role to their lives, acting as pillar of support if the need arise.

This is a very popular manga. I would like to bring some contrast with my review.

Story - I wouldn't rate "Bitter Virgin" that high. It deals with a very serious matter, which is interesting, but there are some things that may be objected. The manga goes about a girl that was abused by her stepfather. As a result, she is scared of men, until she meets Daisuke.

That alone is a very heavy burden to deal with, both for her and for Daisuke. But still, as if it were not enough, things keep happening to her. I think it was a little too much, and a ... little cliched at times. "Abuse" is a very difficult topic to write about, there is a high risk of resorting to clichés. It is also very easy to strike the readers sensibility with such a topic. Who wouldn't be moved by the pain and experiences of an abused child? That's why I generally don't like stories -be it manga, short stories or novels- about such topics, unless they are very well written or they approach the matter in an original way.

There is something about the end that I didn't quite like. I cannot give details because spoilers are not allowed but it has to do with the characters reasoning and how they see their relationship. The characters reactions throughout the story are very credible, except for their final thoughts. They are not consistent with their way of dealing with things up till then, especially in Daisuke's case. It's such a small detail, and it could have been solved with just a small change in the phrasing, making them doubt or wonder about the future instead of being so sure about how things will turn out to be.

In any case, regardless of these little objections, I think the manga was good. The art was ok (not breathtaking but ok), the story ran smoothly and the characters were well developed, not only the two main characters, but all of them (save that inconsistency I see at the end of the story). Guess I can give Bitter Virgin a 6.

I imagine this will give me more 'Not Helpful' ratings, but such is the business of reviews.

My last thought? Why did they have to write it this way?

Warning that some minor spoilers may follow.

Story - 9:
I haven't read a manga with this subject matter before. Other reviews say that this manga was dark. It wasn't as dark as they described it to be. Maybe I didn't feel it like they did. Bitter Virgin is a manga about a girl named Aikawa Hinako who was repeatedly abused by her stepfather. This abuse resulted in an abortion, then a child. On the first birthday of ... her son, Aikawa confesses her 'sins' in a church in the town she's transferred into. ...Except the priest on the other side is actually Daisuke Suwa, a local high school student working with his mother in their store.

Indeed, this manga was sad, but I felt that they wrote more horrible things to happen to Aikawa just to enforce the idea that she was tortured and scarred. They didn't even need to write them in order to tell a good story. These moments were so cliche, they were painful to read. In fact, they were only used in order for the main character to come sweeping in and cast him as Aikawa's hero.

Art - 7:
I don't have anything bad to say about it. The art makes everyone look different and unique, but I didn't have any reactions like, "Wow, this art is amazing," or, "This art is really awful."

Character - 8:
The characters in this manga are really well developed. Really. Well. Developed.

Aikawa, a girl who's transferred from her hometown to start anew. She wants desperately for nobody to know of her past, and hopes this happens in the new town (name of it?), but this isn't so as described above. Aikawa, having been through so much, is very flighty and timid towards men. Throughout the course of the manga, we see her evolve and learn to accept friendship from the opposite sex. She sympathises with everyone's struggles and is overall a very strong character.

Suwa accommodates for everyone's needs. His sister, Aikawa--even Kazuki, the overbearing girl with a crush on him. He's barely ever angry, and we only see a suppressed anger when he is pushed to the edge by one of the female characters. He's brave and strong, and seems to be a shining example of romantic interests in High School manga.

Kazuki serves as the desperate (almost psychotic) alternative love interest in the manga. She has loved Suwa for God-knows-how-long, and changes her appearance to attract him. Why she never attracted anyone else is beyond me. As the manga progresses, she becomes more desperate and unruly. We are shown a snippet of her past, adding to her erratic behaviour. In the end...stuff happens and she eventually accepts her fate.

Enjoyment - 8:
Pretty high score for enjoyment. I didn't cry, but I read the manga pretty quickly. If I hadn't spent the entire night playing games, I would've finished this in a few hours. :)

Overall - 7:
Seven because of the non-emotion-evoking art style, and because of the cliche scenes written into the manga. They just didn't need to be there, and the mangaka/writer cheapened the impact of the manga by including them.

Introduction
This manga is romance, drama and seinen (with a bit of comedy) genre. This is my first review here, so yoroshiku kudasai^^

Story - 8
The story is about the main character guy (Suwa Daisuke) who doesn't see the main character girl (Aikawa Hinako) as his type of girl for being extremely shy and reserved. But then, Daisuke finds out a dark, sad and repulsive secret about Hinako which caused her big fear of men and this information leads to him pitying her and thinking differently about her. He totally understands why she acted the way she acted all this time, and so, decides to protect her, ... while falling in love for her more and more.
The plot isn't too original and a little simple, but tha manga is short anyway, and the creator did great in performing it. Daisuke is extremely cautious of not scaring the girl away, like I said, and after a while, Hinako starts falling in in for Daisuke too, but Daisuke doesn't dare to get close to the girl, knowing she has a fear of men and he's a guy too. This goes on for a while, until things start unraveling between the characters, secrets become discovered, and things have to resolve.

Art - 6
The art of this manga kind of reminds me of a mixture of shounen and shoujo. I thought it was OK. The main character girl didn't seem too pretty in the beginning, but she seemed cuter after a while to me, so I think the artist did a good job there. A con could be that it seems as if the artist reuses drawings a lot, and especially the main character girl I see in the same poses a lot.
NOTE: I'm not objective when it comes to art. Manga with extreme shoujo art such as NANA would receive a terrible rating from me at art, even if many people think it's beautiful. So you don't have to care about what I write here :P

Characters - 8
Being a short four-volume manga, there weren't too many characters, so I'll write a bit about the more important ones
There were two characters I think are really worth mentioning, because I think they have good personalities, and that's Daisuke and his sister, Suwa Izumi. I'll talk a litle about them first, and after that, the other characters:
The awesome thing about Daisuke was that when he says to himself that he loves the girl, he really means it. He is also always afraid of scaring away the girl, which is cute. Although he doesn't seem to have the balls to dump his "girlfriend" (which is bad), he's a very good guy.
Then there's his sister, Izumi, who seemed to have a tough, but loving personality, with a weird way of thinking, but still she was cool and it was a good idea to have her in the manga. She has her own subplot in the manga about being pregnant, but I won't spoil anything.
Now the other characters:
Hinako was kind of monotone and calculable, but was a good role for the plot.
The antagonist-sort of character, Ibuse Kazuki, is terrible and ridiculously evil and messes things up, but thank God the creator didn't take it too far. You'll see.
There was Daisuke's childhood friend girl too, Yamamoto Yuzu, who is cool until the middle, but does something really stupid near the end.

Enjoyment - 10
Reading this manga was rare enjoyment to me.
+ The romance was very sweet, and they showed the characters thoughts a lot
+ The drama was really good
+ Daisuke, of who's point we see the story most of, was a very good and correct guy
+ There were good twists in the plot
+ The story didn't take any obstacle too far
+ It was very exciting
+ The comedy elements didn't ruin the story

Ending - 9
Since you cannot put spoiler tags in reviews anymore, all I can say is I was really satisfied with the ending. It also contains some mature thinking.

Overall - 10 For me, Overall = [Enjoyment+Ending]/2 rounded up. The rest are just motivations to continue to read something :P
I haven't found an anime or manga that got a 10 for me in a long time. I think it was a great romance drama, where the creator didn't mess things up during the manga or the ending. It was a very big hit for me, a romance fan. I say this anime should be a must-read to romance drama fans, but for people who aren't a big fan of romance dramas, I don't recommend it, and it is also possible that someone might not enjoy this manga for thinking the girl's dark secret is repulsive themselves.

I always have the urge to justify what I read/watch when the title of series makes people suspicious of who I am as a person.

Anyway, Bitter Virgin is one of the most misleading titles to date, and it could either make you disregard the book or make you curious to know more about it. As you can tell, I’m the latter. I read the summary and went straight to reading this series. Every time another chapter was translated, I got excited and read it immediately!

Before anyone actually thinks this manga is about a bitter virgin, let me just tell you it’s not! It’s ... quite the opposite. It’s about a high school female (Hinako) that had been raped, had an abortion, and had a child which she gave up for adoption! At the very beginning of the manga, she comes off as this extremely awkward girl who cannot stand being near men. You’re presented with a girl who appears weak, but as the story goes on, you start to notice that the way she handles herself with the other female characters show how strong she really is. The beauty of the manga is her! All you want is for Hinako to be happy. If I had to relate Hinako to the title, I would just say that she has the “virgin-like” quality ( the feminist inside of me is not satisfied with this word choice of mine), Daisuke finds her bitter, and she finds men bitter. 


Daisuke is the male protagonist. When you’re first introduced to him, you notice that he is your typical high school scumbag. However, once he finds out Hinako’s backstory, he grows so much as a character. Although he is annoying, and the heavy narration he does for the story is extremely redundant, he still manages to say things that are necessary for the story to progress. Furthermore, even though he still has yet to see women as capable beings, you can tell he’ll keep growing beyond the story.

So, the series is basically about the relationship between Daisuke and Hinako. How will it form with all the problems both have? Hinako is unaware of the fact that Daisuke knows about her past, she still has androphobia, and to add to this, Daisuke is slowly falling in love with her BECAUSE he accidentally discovered her secret.

There are so many odd turns that this manga takes, but the ending is bitter sweet. It’s not extremely happy, but it’s not sad either. Both characters state what realistically can happen in the future when it comes to their lives. A hopeless romantic might not like the closure, but it is important that it’s done this way (especially because the ending is rushed... and the random guy that appeared didn’t make the series as believable).
Pros:
-Storyline
-Hinako!
-Some parts are realistic (apparently the sister’s arc was heavily inspired by the manga-ka’s life.]
-it manages to incorporate romance to this sensitive topic.
-The manga is short

Cons:
-Typical storyline ("weak" girl, and an annoying boy who turns "sweet" because of her)
-Side characters: they are horrible... one of the girls is extremely obsessed with Daisuke even though he doesn't have a spec of special quality in him.
- the narrative quality (it can be a good thing as well)
-The last two volumes felt rushed.
-Things were added just to make everything work. Few moments felt forced.

This manga is beautiful, but I don’t think it will be for everyone. When Hinako’s past is explained in details, it is slightly graphic (if this was an anime form, I do not think I could watch it). Her stepfather raped her, and you see her crying with a bit of blood on her… how else can I explain it?

Anyway, the main reason for this review is to say: Do NOT let the title fool you! If anything, it’s more of a metaphor than a silly sexualized story.

Rating: 8- 8.5

This is a very heart-stopping manga, it tells u how life can treat u and that the world isnt just a fairy-tale and that basically the world is full of both good and bad people. It starts off with a normal boy who is the "happy-go-lucky" ladies-man at skool talking about all of the women he would like, except for one that he thought wasnt good enuff and just not the right girl for him. but acidently without her knowing, she told him her deepest secret that kept him gob-smacked and thinking more deeply about her. it a tough but also tender manga, well-woven and ... full of tears.It gives the reader a real good time to think about the other people in the world who suffer bad experiences and how lucky u are not to have. Dont just think that "oh my life is so bad" until u have read this manga through and through!!! i really love this manga, everytime u read it u know that life is just unpridictable.

This is the 'A Crow Looked At Me' by Mount Eerie album in manga form

What happens when a truly crushing reality of the darkest aspects of humanity intertwine with a standard coming of age romance? Well I would probably say this story is the closest fit to it.

The main protagonist (Suwa) is a wannabe womanizer that accidentally hears his timid classmate's absolutely harrowing past full of sexual assault, trauma, and guilt while hiding in a confession booth. The setup is pretty good, and the story that follows is engrossing. It moves at a steady pace and I was never bored with it, which would be ... an issue for such a short series.

The art is pretty consistently above average, but nothing mind blowing. However I will give credit to Kusunoki that their ability to express shock and guilt on facial expressions is to be noted. Aside from that, nothing crazy.

The main aspect that I find issue with is the characters. Suwa is shown at first to be selfish and a womanizer, but is shown through his later actions to be a pretty selfless and caring person through empathizing with the other main character Hinako Aikawa.
Hinako is sadly more or less, more the summation of the things that have happened to her, rather than a character that had these things occur in her life. Aside from being a victim of sexual assault, she is not shown to have many interests or character quirks other than falling for who she falls for. Which is another issue I have with the next character.
Holy shit Ibuse was unbearable. She had no character other than being madly in love with Suwa. Even though they barely have had a surface level conversation? I guess she can be classified more as a stalker, but then why would Suwa bother to even entertain her intentions, as she is clearly psychotic and Suwa is likely aware of this even before he meets his love interest.
I got not a whole lot to say about Yuzu, she was fine I guess.

Im giving a special section to Izumi Suwa. Easily the best character in this story. Between choosing to keep her child on her own terms, even if the father chose not to be there because of the circumstances leading to the pregnancy, and living as a single mother and not seeing a problem being a single mother as she wants to love the child as much as she possibly can. Being an awesome older sister when Ibuse stalks Suwa home and she calls her out, while still trying to appeal to her humanity and flawed character of being an obsessive adolescent.


*** SPOLIERS***

The scene where Izumi has her stillbirth is haunting. Absolutely tragic. The panel of her wailing as her child was delivered dead, holding onto it as it goes from warm to cold. Holy fuck. And when she asks Suwa if he wants to hold it. Let me say as someone who has been in this position before I had to put the story down for awhile. And to then go over how even after the stillbirth happens, to go over the process of the medical procedures and check ups afterwards, and the psychological affects of it. I think this was handled incredibly well.

Overall, I recommend this story. Would I say I enjoyed it? I can't say I did. I dont think this is a story to be enjoyed, as this is a dark and bleak story that tells of finding solace in the face of absolutely harrowing circumstances. Again, I find it similar to the album A Crow Looked at Me, by Mount Eerie for those who are familiar

Bitter Virgin is a brilliantly crafted masterpiece. It delicately portrays the turmoils of a broken girl with a truly realistic and gripping plot.
This story is a definite 10. I truly enjoyed the intricacy of the relationships in this manga. I think it breached and explored an often taboo subject with grace and proper reverence. Rape and teenage pregnancy is often overlooked in many books, yet this manga dealt not only with this issue, but with the aftermath at well. Though the manga is only 4 books, the story took an appropriate time to develop and the character relations progressed smoothly.
Art- 7 The art was ... decent, but nothing magnificent. It was able to get the point across, but it lacked detail in the movements. I also noticed that the characters seemed to stay in the same positions a lot. While the art wasn't great, it doesn't detract from the story.
Character-8 The main characters were excellent and 3 dimensional. Aikawa was a very fragile, scarred, and broken girl. It was wonderful to see her personality develop over the course of the story. Suwa's personality develop was not as drastic, but he was opened to the harsh reality of life and learned to be more compassionate. I gave the characters an 8 because some of the supporting characters are a little fake. Like his sister is a little too cheerful and nonchalant about the condition she is in.
Enjoyment 10 This was absolutely touching, in that it made me feel true empathy for the characters in this manga. It was an emotional roller coaster and I loved every second of it.
Overall-9 This was a beautiful and touching piece of work that haunts me with its intricate yet simple story. It draws you in and really makes you think about the tough real life decisions these characters have had to make. Overall it was a fantastic and truly touching read.

Edit: I am keeping this review because it's my first one i ever wrote in 2011. If i was to read this manga again my opinion of it might have been changed or i wouldn't rate it this high anymore.

Hello, this is my first review, it's quite short but spoiler free. I'm writing this because I want others to read this manga, whether you are guy or a girl. I think it really teaches you to value life better, that when you are given something, you should be happy, because you are lucky to have it in your life. :)

I'm glad that when i started ... to read it, i had only read half of the summary, because i didn't know what kind of ''secret'' the main girl has.
I thought it was another common love manga, so i just clicked the first pages through and until I see what her ''secret'' was, and then decide whether i should drop it or continue reading it.. but dang i was wrong to think it would be bad.. so wrong.. because this manga imo turned out so great! GREAT.. oh yeah, 10 stands for OUTSTANDING :D!



What i really loved was that how the main guy started to care about the girl when he found out about her secret, the fact that he didn't even understand at first that he was in love with her. It was just so cute seeing him blush like that whenever he saw her.
And the main girl was so weak and so strong at the same time. It's hard to explain without spoiling anything, so you should just read it yourself.
And the story with the main guy's sister touched me deeply, that was really something.


Anyways, if you want something short, but decent and something that teaches you to value something better then go ahead and read it now. :)
Or read it until you get to know the secret and then decide. If you can, don't read the summary at all, and let the manga itself surprise you.