Ayu Mayu

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

Ayu Mayu is an Ecchi, Romantic, Comedy that sadly contains every Rom/Com cliché imaginable but it makes it work, with incredibly wacky comedy and nicely done romance.

The focus of this wacky romantic comedy is an orphaned boy named Yousuke who dreams of reuniting his long lost little sister. After years of searching he finally reaches his goal however he runs into a major obstacle… there seem to be 2 girls who have the potential of being his little (Ayu & Mayu) and he has no way to determine which one is his sister. So there you have it; the entire story is basically about Yousuke ... trying to find out which one is his real sister. Sure the logical thing would be to have some kind of DNA test but this is a comedy and a very illogical one at that. So expect to witness the most random, hilarious and plain retarded moments imaginable. If you’ve seen or read something like Onegai Twins then you’ll certainly know that this manga’s story is anything but original. Nonetheless it doesn’t stop it being fun to read. Each chapter tends to have a standalone feel but thankfully the story actually progresses from one chapter to the next, which makes the cliché riddled adventure and sweet romance worthwhile.

The 3 main characters are pretty much what make it all worthwhile. Yousuke acts like most of the male protagonist found in most ecchi rom/coms and is usually at the butt of many jokes and misfortunes, but his attitude towards the girls is a huge merit. Then we have the story’s heroines who are pretty typical of any manga of this particular genre. Ayu is your standard tsundere whose annoying from time to time, whereas Mayu is honest and kind hearted and basically the complete opposite of Ayu. These 3 characters develop so much in such a short period; however when it comes to the supporting cast… They’re as forgettable as my morning chores and not worth mentioning.

For this kind of manga I must admit that the artwork is pretty good, but everything from the character designs to the environments was just too plain. I just came from reading another ecchi manga with its art style almost identical to this, which got me to see the artwork for how unremarkable it is. At least it improves as the manga progresses.

Overall Ayu Mayu turned out to be a pretty enjoyable Ecchi, Rom/Com, with plenty if hilarious moments. Nevertheless any experienced manga reader would easily be able to determine at least 3 different manga that this mangaka recycled some material from (Ichigo 100%, Love Hina, Onegai Twins, etc.). Although this is mainly the case for the 1st volume, as the story undergoes some improvements and contains plenty of plot twist. So if your in the mood for a blatant in-your-face kinda rom/com then check out this manga, as you may end up enjoying it.

“For my imouto!” - Toyokawa Yousuke





Similar to Yomeiro-Choice and especially Shinshi (Gentleman) na Meets Girl, this manga is an extremely funny romantic comedy. Despite being cut too short, Ayu Mayu wraps up loose ends pretty well. There were some things that could have been done better, but the author is excused. However, the premise is exciting, and the story does not get dull, as surprises appear, and emotions develop.

The story revolves around Toyokawa Yousuke, a poor student who got separated from his little sister when he was a kid. Now that he is in high school, he decides to go look for her, and understands ... that she was adopted by a wealthy school headmaster, named Anjou. When he finally gets to the house (more like a mansion, actually), he is happy to be reunited with his little sister - only to find out that there are two girls who could be her. The documents for the adoption have mysteriously disappeared, the orphanage was burnt down, and Yousuke only remembers the last syllable of his imouto's name: ". . . yu." One girl's name is Mayu, and the other is Ayu. Both of them remember having an onii-chan, but, much like in Yousuke's case, they have forgotten how theirs look like or what their brothers were called, and have little clues for the answers. Their father begins to doubt Yousuke, and gives him one week to discover who is the real sister, or he must leave, as a man. To make things even more complicated, another girl appears later whose name is Nayu, and she claims to have been in the same orphanage as Toyokawa's . . .

I like the story. It is not a frequent setting (I know about Onegai Twin, but still . . .), and it continues in a funny style with supernatural abilities, though intended for humor, such as "Imouto (Little Sister) GPS," which enables the person to find his little sister, or someone he cares about just as much, instantly, though it can only be used by perverted brothers. By the way, although some chapters may feel that way, this manga is not really slice-of-life. There is either a strong development between the characters or some new ones are introduced. Occasional dramatic moments are also present, especially in the end.

There are not many main characters here, but these ones are quite sufficient. Toyokawa Yousuke is a guy who tries to do the right thing when possible (or impossible) if it comes down to his little sisters, or later Nayu. The one first mistaken to be the lost sister is Anjou Mayu, a beautiful, shy fifteen-year-old girl who warms up to Yousuke pretty quickly, calling him "onii-chan," despite not being sure whether they are related or not; she plays the violin well with her orchestra. Described by her father to be similar to a watchdog when it comes to Mayu, her few-months older adopted sister, Anjou Ayu is the outspoken one of the two, and continuously rejects Yousuke's kind gestures (though he is prone to tongue-slipping absent-mindedly sometimes), beating him up whenever she feels he did something wrong; basketball is a sport she enjoys (heh, reminds you of Shindou Kei (Ef) much?). Last but not least is Nayu, a gorgeous lady who is like a mixture of Ayu and Mayu, having the former's straightforwardness and the latter's attractiveness (she resembles Myamura Miyako (Ef) more, though (except the part about her cat)); despite the fact he hardly remembers her, she used to be in the same orphanage as Yousuke, and was often protected by him, resulting in her falling head-over-heels for him; furthermore, Nayu somehow seems to be able to talk to her black cat.

A colorful set of characters that you would just want to see how they interact with each other or what they are going to do next. I respect the protagonist, Yousuke; he is an honest man that always does his best for the sake of his imouto, willing to sacrifice anything for them, even at the cost of his own happinesss. The series starts out pretty good, but just as you are getting used to things, Nayu comes in the picture, and hilarity sky-high rise; she provides a stronger rivalry for Mayu in order to have Yousuke's affection, better than the already existing love triangle which includes Ayu. Others of lesser importance also appear, with their own quirks, such as a swimming instructor that likes the sisters as well.

Ayu Mayu (or "Ayu Mayu Nayu," as I like to call it, since Nayu is of equal importance to the other two) is an innocent, cute manga that shows the good side of perverts and what they are willing to do for the sake of their imouto. You can expect some fan-service, romance, love triangles, and, of course, comedy. Recommended to those looking for something light and short to read. You will not regret reading this one.

Story:
Ayu Mayu is a really good quick-read ecchi/comedy/romance manga, in which the main character Yousuke tries to find his long separated little sister, but faces many obstacles along the way. (including his growing taboo relationship with his sisters, the return of a girl who loved him since childhood, and even a ghost cat...in addition to his normal problems which he causes for himself).

But The story isnt a really serious one, you wont feel too emotional from reading it, and it is short and doesnt drag on for too long. You will enjoy it if you are looking for a calm, funny romance manga with some ... ecchi.

Art:
The art is pretty well suited for the type of manga that it is: Super-cute, large-eyed manga girls that are good to look at. No particular shocking pictures drawn, nor ugly characters drawn. All characters are good to look at, while keeping with the comedy aspect of the manga. Also contains a lot of ecchi (never hurts to have ecchi, heh).

Character:
The characters are made to suit the story pretty well: 2 sisters, A kind and forgiving hot sister, and a cute sister that beats up Yousuke for his pervertedness; and a perverted brother (Yousuke) who gets to activate super-powers that only perverted brothers can use.

There isnt much character development, but the manga is reasonably short and concise, and the characters' personalities fit them well in their interactions with other characters, and in creating funny and ecchi moments.

Enjoyment:
Overall, i enjoyed this manga quite well. It was a relaxing read that was enjoyable but did not drag on for too long (its only 29 chapters) and thus did not really bore me like other manga of the same type may. (like if its like over 100 chapters).

Overall:
This is the manga to read if you like a relaxing romance manga that is funny and has ecchi. IMO its better than most manga of the same genre because of its size: You get a simple, easy-to-follow story with eye-candy characters, while not being dragged through endless chapters concerning how the man male character lives his ecchi life.

Great read if you are looking for a break from other genres of manga, and like a ecchi/comedy/romance manga with better flow and continuity.