Sakuranbo Syndrome - Cupid no Itazura II

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First of all, don't judge this manga based on its synopsis. In one word this work is in my opinion outstanding.
The story at first seems ridiculous (and I didn't want to read it at first for it), but as soon as you get into it you can't stop reading what will happen next.
The personalities of the characters are very well fleshed out, with their strong and weak points.
The art is very good as it is.
I enjoy reading this manga and look forward for more works from its author.

Before, you guys start reading my review. I need to say 2 things!

1. My review contains minor spoilers, I tried my best to keep it low as possible to not to ruin the experience for you.

2. I have added my own personal views and opinions too.

-This manga is so hilarious, yet serious and intense at the same type. It has a prequel, but it isn't necessary at all to read that. Both have no relation, I read this first because I didn't find the description of the prequel that interesting. As for Cupid no Itazura II, I loved it. I finished it in one ... go without holding my horses. Although, it might give you some NTR vibes, but trust me it doesn't have anything related to NTR or any other annoying elements. Since, I am a guy who hates NTR to the core and it is going haywire these days. The best thing about the series is the climax. A perfect ending I was hoping for from the begin.

Genres:- Comedy, Drama, Romance, Psychological, Seinen, Mature

Story: 9.5/10 (I don't think, I am ever gonna find a story like this. Author has a habit of making new stories with unique settings like this. This is what makes this manga so good.)

Characters: 9/10 (The characters and their nature is what steals your interest. You gonna love their expressions in different situations. The only thing, I find disappointing is that. I didn't get to see the adult version of Rena again.)

Art: 10/10 (It is by the same author of "Kono S wo, Mi yo!". So, I don't think I need to say anything more, but if you didn't read"Kono S wo, Mi yo!". I recommend that too. Both have similar artwork despite being old. Both have clear and fluent art that makes you want to read more and more.)

Enjoyment: 9.5/10 (The Synopsis might seems idiotic at first, but after you have read first few chapters, it will grow up on you. All I have to say about this is that it is a masterpiece. This is my 2nd time reading it. )

Skip this review .

If you still want to read go on but you're just wasting time .Just open it on a manga website and read .


Sakuranbo Syndrome is one of the overlooked gems as far as manga is concerned .Why such a good story isn't more popular is a mystery to me .Perhaps because of the synopsis which gives off the impression of another generic harem manga this diamond is avoided .On to the review then .

Story - 8
This manga's story is it's selling point .
You might feel that the synopsis is weak and nothing new but the execution of this manga's story is amazing ... .With many emotional moments it truly doesn't bore you and developments a times are shocking .This is a manga that made the most out of it's story with no cliche events or unnecessary ones .Even the rare filler chapters are used in developing the story further .Expect a unique story that you've not seen before and you won't be disappointed .But the story might also be why this manga isn't so highly rated .The ending for me was extremely disappointing and left me cringing at its poor execution .I hope this doesn't dissuade you from trying it however .

Art - 9
This manga has sex scenes .Well they're obviously not at hentai's level but they're borderline and well drawn to boot .This is as good as slice of life manga gets when it's drawn .There are no unclear emotions ,unbelievably androgynous characters or any other imperfections of the like so the art is one are you know you won't hate even if the manga somehow doesn't sit with you .

Character - 7
The weakest point of the story isn't weak .The cast is fairly normal with no unrealistic features .Character development indeed takes place for those who want to see it so do not worry .If I had a problem it would be that their reactions a times seem a bit forced .Not that they aren't realistic but reacting a different way might have been more so .Still the cast does it's job well .Very realistic for slice of life ,very likable ,very interesting .

Enjoyment - 9
At a point I had only 5 volumes of this .After reading them in a sitting I panicked because my internet wouldn't allow me to get the remainder .It was on my mind all day and I couldn't calm down until I got them .

Overall - 8
I liked this enough to give it a 9 but I think 8 is a better score considering how badly it ended for me.Bringing in statistics in my reviews is a habit of mine and so I can say that on MAL ,as at the time of this review 68.4% of the readers of this gave it a between an 8 and a 10 .Hope I've convinced you to read it .

Sakuranbo Syndrome certainly has an odd premise (not surprising, considering how it belongs to Cupid no Itazura series, in which each part is independent from each other, but all revolve around rather "naughty" concepts) that for many can be immediately off-putting. A 19 year old student named Amami Rena is hit with a rare and mysterious disease which causes her body to get physically younger over time and the only way to stop it is to take in equally rare suppressing enzymes. Much to her chagrin, after the affliction already regresses her body into adolescence, Rena learns that there is only one man whose body ... produces the required enzymes and the most effective means of administering the cure is through exchanging saliva. Rena miraculously manages to find her savior, 24 year old Munenori Agawa, who unfortunately for her, due to his stressful office work for a cosmetics company, has grown to hate women and is unkeen to believe tall tale of a teenager who suddenly appeared in front of him. Despite his initial reservations to bless the girl with a life saving kiss, he eventually gives in, but as logic of story telling dictates, this is not nearly enough to beat the disease. Things get further complicated once dynamic businesswoman, 26 year old Sayako Asou, Agawa's superior and love interest, enters the picture.
The story's set up is fantastical and gives impression of something made up for the sake of erotic fiction (well, this is a story about and for adults, so sex scenes are not exactly uncommon), which definitely is enough to make it stand out among other works in the genre, but it's the characters who are the true stars that make Sakuranbo Syndrome such an interesting (and free of frustration typical for love stories) read. First of all, they're reasonable - not just archetypes cruising from one misunderstanding to another in order to stretch out the story. While the story is no stranger to awkward situations, they're mostly resolved in a realistic manner, just like real people would handle them (most of the time, at least). The drama that does ensue results from natural human emotions like jealousy, naivete, desperation and grief - they're not overused and usually the first step towards resolving the issue at hand comes from a character understanding their own feelings. For a little while the author continues to set up classic misunderstanding scenarios (often used as cliff hangers), which then proceed to be maturely handled and moved on from within a page or two. Once the readers are used to them the story gets on the track of fleshing out the characters, which makes Sakuranbo Syndrome a slow burner: by the time we finally get to fully understand dramatis personae and their motivations, more than two thirds of almost one hundred chapters is already gone. It's really fascinating how a manga with such a ridiculous premise ends up having so complex and believable characters. Only Agawa's personality seems to be a bit underdeveloped, but I'm willing to accept that he was mostly molded by the events of the story, rather than his past experiences.
The art style is very expressive without being exaggerated and remains consistent throughout the manga's run. It fits the story told and manages to convey dynamism in scenes where different emotions and points of view clash with each other. Just as the plot touches upon the human tendency to have multiple facets, we get to see a wide array of expressions from our cast - it's not particularly spectacular, but works very well. If I had any complaint, it would be odd at times choice for cover illustrations. Due to the nature of the magazine in which the manga was published, a certain "quota" of smuttiness had to be filled, which would sometimes result in dissonance between very erotic first page and actually modest contents of the chapter. At some point we even get a series of "closer looks" at all the female characters with no other purpose than being fanservice. It's a minor nitpick, especially considering how the story does not shy away from portraying acts of physical love, but I suppose that some may feel annoyed with the inconsistent tone.
Sakuranbo Syndrome was already finished for ten years once I've found it and I'm pleased to say that the story still holds very well (it's not often that I complete an eleven volume series in less than a week) and it should be an interesting read for anyone looking for a unique love story. Once you get past the initial chapters, which are basically a prologue and may not make a good first impression, it's very easy to get hooked, even though the author doesn't employ any cheap tricks to keep the readers invested. The last arc seems a little bit rushed, but I think a few chapters more wouldn't change the story's conclusion and everything was neatly resolved, with no loose ends or unnecessary ambiguity. The final chapter took me a little bit by surprise, but the touching finale made me confident that there isn't much that could be improved in Sakuranbo Syndrome and I'm hoping to come across more unconventional love stories like this manga in the future.

I saw this manga just looking for a new story to read since weekly manga was turning so bad and I finished other one called Aku no hana. Back then i couldn't imagine that it would be one of the best manga that i've read so far. By reading the synopsis one could say that it's not a big deal (just like one review comment), but the performance is just so awesome that i couldn't stop reading it.

The characters are credible, the author doesn't force their behavior (although he does for the situations...a bit) and I respect that a lot. They all have a ... well-formed personalities and it makes you thing that they are acting like real humans would do in that situation.

Since English isn't my mother language, i can't really put in word what that manga had supposed to me, so please, enjoy it yourself and read it. You won't regret it ^^

Spoiler..!

do not read this manga if you can not tolerate and adult falling in love with a girl with 10 years old ( i did it becouse i was not expecting some of the plot twist, and also i was hopping that in wouldnt do it)


becouse the worst part of this manga is that.. suck a kink, horrible nonetheless, is the evolution in the relationship between the main cast.

being a first something like a chore of good will. where they must accept the fate of being someone with a illness and also for the benefactor, becouse life are in stake.
later knowing each other better and ... with the girlfriend, they tal about like having sort of spet daughter................ BUT AFTER THAT
i can not belive the plot twist that the author makes, is disgusting, they have a threasome.
even with the body of a loli is just unreal and veryyy unethical. is there when the main cast fall apart.

for me the manga had good moments but they never stop to think if what they do was bad.. i can not see them like people if not an excuse for the author for draw his wild fantasy

First time review here so forgive me if its bad.
I shall try not spoil here but good luck.

First the praise: the first all the chapters up to 87 were amazing and fun to read. I couldnt put it down and wanted to read every word. The conflict and the romance felt relatable and within the reals of realist.
That been said chapter 87 kinda rushed a threesome and followed it by a random kidnapping plot that should have been better used working towards the harem ending where the threesome would have actually fitten in even better.
Scrap the cure, the leaving for 10 years and all ... that crap and end it with the 3 of them been happy to share their lifes together with the people they love.

There could have been a little less nudity, dont get me wrong I love nudity as muchas the next guy but suggested sex is also good sometimes i dont need tits in my face for 70 chapters then oh shit theres now theres a rushed drama.

Still would recomend this manga to anyone looking for a good romance that handles multiple lovers well and shows how the scars of the past can linger for years. Just read up until chapter 87 and then they live together happily ever after.

This manga is all around a tremendously well written manga. The premise is certainly strange, which is a draw in and of itself, but it uses that premise incredibly well. A key aspect of that is that the manga keeps a very strong core focus on the three main characters Agawa, Asou, and Amami. These three characters have a very bizarre relationship. We get to watch that relationship slowly build up, wherein it isn't clear at all how things will go regarding such. We then watch it form in a fragile state but slowly develop into something stronger, and then see it go through shock after shock, after ... all of which it ultimately still persists. The relationship is incredibly messy and it leads to a lot of incredibly raw moments that pull on your heart strings as well as providing a good amount of suspense, but it's also beautiful, in that there are a lot of incredibly cute moments. All three characters involved are developed incredibly well, with Asou and Amami having completely opposite personalities and with Agawa having the skill and heart to pull off handling both of them. Each of them get some solid back ground development that ultimately leads to characters that feel very fleshed out and consistent. They all have their own wants and needs, which lead to conflicts that feel real, and in the end, you can't help but feel very invested in whats going on. All of this is framed within a number of stories that end up taking a variety of different tones and being related to different subjects, hence showing off different sides of the characters, but also just in general adding a lot of variety to the story which keeps things fresh without feeling at all like things were getting repetitive. Furthermore, it's really hard to guess how things will end up in part due to the peculiar premise, but also due to how the author keeps things moving in interesting directions, hence removing any predictability and making the manga quite suspenseful. All of this builds up to a pretty strong climax, that I feel hit exactly what it needed to. I would have been super pissed at the ending without that final scene, but with the final scene, what came before felt more justified and necessary, in that it showed that they wanted to be together and should be together regardless of fate, simply because they want to. And on top of all that, the art was really good as well.

tl;dr: A manga with a strange premise that gives rise to a tremendously interesting relationship between a trio of characters. 

i liked the story and the relationship that agawa, asou, and rena developed..it's very interesting... having a girlfriend while being stuck having to kiss another girl err i mean woman for medical reasons and how the girlfriend manages to cope with it and still stay.

honestly though they could've done away with the sex scenes but especially the ménage à trois . sex should only be in the confines of marriage. and it should be 1 man and 1 woman ... now i will say i'm grateful the sex scenes were moderate and ... only at an R rated level rather than a NC-17/hentai level they only go as far as showing pubic hair which brings me to another thing......I am so glad that the artist decided to give the female characters pubic hair. the artist also did a great job in shading the characters. it's very rare to see pubes on a naked anime/manga character..it's so rare that it's beautiful..and it's realistic to put the happy little bush on them because in reality many Japanese women don't shave down there.. it would've been just as beautiful without the sex scenes.... i believe it would've been a beautiful love story had Asou been out of the picture... had it been just Agawa and Rena or on the alternative if Rena wasn't in the picture and it was just Agawa and Asou...but of course i would've preferred Agawa x Rena ... the ending is fair i mean at least the 3 of them are happy agawa and asou are happy, rena's happy at the end so it is enough of a fair ending. if the characters are feelin happy or at least ok. it's enough of a fair ending. (i guess to those who disagree, go ahead call me simple minded)

STORY: 2
This is how I imagine the story was born:
One day in the editor's office Kitazaki Taku was pitching for his new series.
"I have a plot for an adult-love triangle story.
- But there's already so many, how will you set your story apart?
- Well one of the girl will be 10 years old.
- No way, pedophilia will block us from the mainstream market!
- Wait I have a trick, the girl is actually 19 but she has a disease that makes her body younger, this way we can offer the thrill of child sex while staying legal!
- You are a genius, let's publish this!"

And here ... you have the gist of what Sakuranbo Syndrome is about. Besides the borderline pedopornography the love triangle is better executed than average thanks mainly to the depth given to the characters.

ART: 5
Art is only focused on the characters and is good at rendering emotion and interactions.

POLITICAL POTENTIAL: 3
Using sex with a kid as a turn on is quite political, not in a good way.

FEMINISM: 3
Besides the problematic child/love interest, the character of Asou is quite interesting as her struggles as a lover, an older woman and a business worker are empathically depicted. It's also worth noting that she is a woman that enjoys sex without it being ridiculed or seen as something wrong like in many mangas.

CONCLUSION: 4
A uncomfortable love triangle that would have been much better without that disgusting 'sexy-10-years-girl novelty'.