Kare Kano Hajimemashita

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I don't know about the rest of you folks, but when the boy I had a long standing crush on asked me out, I went apeshit! Correction, I redefined apeshit. There wasn't a moment I wasn't squealing inside my head and at school, the few times I did face him, I COULDN'T face him for fear of internally combusting under the weight of my own embarrassment. THAT'S what adolescent first love does to you! Given this highly dignified version of a first love experience, I had high expectations from this story's summary, fully expecting a read laden with "Kyaaaa" and much doki-doki. Sadly the romance ... gods did not smile, the clouds did not part and the gratification I so craved for was not delivered.

The story starts out as summarised, with the heroine being granted her deepest wish when the boy of her affections casually calls her out on her infatuation and asks her out. Thus begins their (or only hers?) first love journey. There's awkwardness, kawaii stolen moments and plenty of wide eyes from the heroine, but little transpires that makes you sit up and take notice.

Art, while not unappealing feels a bit unoriginal and wooden sometimes. The heroine's expressions look a bit hentai-ified in most panels, while the bishie seems a tad like a one dimensional oaf. Their kisses feel rather clinical and empty, no racing of pulses here.

Character's try to tug at your heartstrings, but fall short of successfully stirring your senses. There's a rogue hiding beneath the exterior with Ryoutarou, and a coy geisha wishing to brighten her master's day under Hanamori's bumbling expressions. But while there's plenty of potential for tender moment given the plot and established dynamic between the leads, their chemistry isn't palpable or sizzling.

To the mangaka's credit, the story HAS its cute and doki doki first love moments but they don't take. It could benefit from matured art and addition of some sincere expressions rather than one constant character defining grin or simpering smile in all panels, regardless of the situation. While storytelling and pacing may be a forte for Momoi Sumire, she may consider joining leagues with an artist skilled at playful and tender expressions and art to be able to better deliver oneshot masterpieces with cute plots such as this one.

Alright, this is cute. It’s all about a boy and girl being in a relationship for the first time and not really understanding just what it means to be in a relationship. Hinano is rather confused and embarrassed almost all the times to be with the boy she loves so much, partly because I think it was unexpected. She never thought that she would be with him so when he said he loved her; it was so much for her to take in. On the other hand, the most popular boy would of course not feel embarrassed about the girl he likes so he doesn’t ... really understand it. Misunderstanding happens and then everything ends up like a normal story. It’s cute and short, that’s pretty much it.

The artwork is pretty standard. Again, nothing really stood out to me on that.

This is one I would reread. The story is what saves it.