Nanoka no Kare

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

As a shoujo romance, Nanoka no Kare is one of the stronger ones lately. It's has character building and development and the relationships and feelings keep you wanting to read to see what will happen next. At 36 chapters into it, I want to read more.

The art is quite beautiful, realistic and emotional, both in portraits and in action. It's by the artist of Akuma to Love Song and all the characters in Nanoka are so well drawn, they seem very real. The writer is not one I've read other works by before.

Nanoka,the female ... lead is more straightforward and take charge than most shoujo leads, she boldly makes a confession to a guy she had just met. I rather like her and understand her. The feelings of all the characters in this series develop, and are complex. She is a good shoujo lead heroine. I liked her better than the heroines of Strobe Edge and Crazy for You, ones that are along it's lines.

This is a definite triangle with two very different male leads who over time will make you like them. In the beginning of the story, you might definitely like the younger one Hayato, the good guy, but when you see Takato's, the other's, feelings that he keeps to himself, you will understand him too and start to question which one you prefer. Around chapter 30 you will start to like Takato, or maybe you will like both... hehe. Takato actually tries to change and in a lot of ways he is the most interesting character in it although in some ways he has that bad boy vibe. Hayato I like a lot but Takato is more complex.

The story comes off strong at first, then gets a bit muddy, but recovers and becomes rather intense with a lot of things happening, ie drama, however, it's enjoyable and exciting as you get further into it and get to see more of what's in the mind of the two male leads. It does have cycles of drama and it's more of a drama and character story rather than a plot.

The point of view changes between each of the three sides of the triangle in different chapters letting you see what that person is thinking and feeling from their perspective. This was one of the strongest points of this romance and I think it gives it more intensity than just seeing it from one person. It also lets you see all how each of the is different and similar.

However, there are points of this that are typical and cliche of many shoujos and the story itself is rather average shoujo, however, I really like it. It's an ongoing series that I think many shoujo lovers will enjoy. I give it an 8.

If I can split this manga in half and give different ratings to each, I'd give the first half an 8 and the second a 4. Nanoka no Kare has both the high-high and low-low points on its plot. My fair warning to you who'd like to finish this manga: prepare for bad writing on the second half.

This is my first ever review, so please forgive me if it's not up to par.

Story:
Nanoka no Kare has an interesting premise, it's a story about a girl trying to move on from her past unhealthy relationship.

The first half is absolutely wonderful to be read, to the point ... I reread it multiple times, who knows how much. The romance pace is light, believable, with both Nanoka and Hayata trying their best to better themselves from their past mistakes. I also love the way that abusive relationship is portrayed here not as something romantic but as a horrible thing instead. The manga has cliche moments, yes, but I didn't find them cringy when I read them. They gave me light and fluffy feels instead, so cute that I squealed everytime I reread the scenes. The angst scenes actually are the parts I reread the most on the first half. There are also some misunderstanding and dumb moments, but I didn't find them frustrating and I still enjoy reading those because they move forward the plot and give developments for the included characters, up to the end of the first half (41 chapters/7 volumes which lucky for you finally they're all scanlated now). It's totally okay if you wanna stop here. Better instead, I really wish I've known the end before, but alas I read it while it was still ongoing soo, yeah. Unlucky me stucked with reading it.

Now onto the second half of the manga, the one which is so bad it gives PTSD to the readers considering to read the author's next work, where do I begin the rant? Hmm, how about how unnecessary it was? The first part is already nicely concluded, there's no need for a second half at all unless it's to show how Nanoka and Hayata's relationship progress and maybe to give Takato some nice development because he's being such an emotionally constipated person throughout the first half. If written nicely it can be a great plot too, there are other manga who has done something like this successfully. But unfortunately it's not the case here. It's just a downhill of a plot starting from chapter 42. Dramas piled on top each other, bad cliches with unsatisfactory results, regression of character development too. Also that new character? Totally put in just for THE drama, annoying af, not even a good villain, only being used as a foil. Also the ending? Totally abrupt, I didn't feel satisfied reading it. Hayata is my only saving grace on the second half, I only managed to finish it because of him. MINOR SPOILERS HERE TILL THE END OF THIS SEGMENT for those who are concerned about the supposed sex scenes between two spesific characters, they didn't do it. They almost but he saw her "past" self so he stopped. Just putting this here because I've been asked so many times by people who wanna know if it really happens or not. In fact that's the main reason I write this review.

Art:
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! The one point almost every reader agrees on. It's so clean and neat right from the very first chapter, also every emotions are expressed well even from quiet characters like our protagonists. All the details to clothes and backgrounds are wonderful. I can't ask for more.

Character:
Hhhh, where do I begin?

First half's Nanoka's characterization is so good I really enjoyed everything from her POV. Whenever she speaks up for herself or her friends, I feel like a proud mom. And I also like how she still tries to defend herself even if she's weaker. But the second half ruined every Nanoka's character developments from the first half. Her decisions on the second half are so bad they actually regressed her character lower beyond her starting point on chapter 1. Also every bad traits she has fixed on the first half are back. I can't even feel happy or bad for her at the end.

First half's Takato is so emotionally constipated in a bad way, also he's so harsh and rude I really dislike him. I get it that he's trying to change but he forced himself on Nanoka too much it's annoying. It's a wonder he still even has a friend (bless Kensuke though). Takato's character was probably intended to be redeemed on the second half. Yet every choice he made is still questionable at best like in the first half. His "redemption" is only at the very end of the manga, and only on that one scene.

Hayata's the only one who makes me happy reading his progression from the start till finish. The first half has him facing his bad traits, like cowardice and jealousy. He's aware those are bad traits too, I really enjoyed reading his development here. My heart screamed when he was feeling so down and Nanoka got to save him (eventhough the method is questionable, a hug would be preferable, thank you). While I feel so sorry for him throughout the second half, I still question one of his actions on it, but I do understand his reasoning for that, it's still believable since he thought he'd never come back at all. At least he's still a nice one to be read till the end.

The side characters are all nice, I actually like both Nanoka's friends and Takato's friend slash Hayata's senpai, they help moving the plot sometimes, like Yuuko and Kensuke during the first half, but especially Chii-chan during the second part where everything is such a pain. Gish, Chii-chan is my spirit animal during second half. They also have nice character developments, Yuuko and Chii-chan.

That new character on the second half?? I absolutely detest him, even after his motivation and background were revealed. Self-centered, manipulative, arrogant, troublemaker, what's good about him? He's not even a good villain. Nil from me.

Enjoyment:
I really enjoyed the first part that I wish the manga would just stop at chapter 41 because that way I can happily recommend Nanoka no Kare for anyone searching for a good shoujo. But alas, the second part happened and ruined it. Sad. But whatever happened, Hayata's still a good boy I love him so much please protect him.

Honestly this is an appalling manga to me, and it being so bad came as a surprise since Ai ga Shinu no wa Kimi no Sei, another work by the same authors, was one of the most thrilling sci-fi shoujos I've read lately. I wish I could give it a 1 star rating, but there's a salvageable bit at the beginning: the sweet relationship between Hayate and Nanoka, who are both experiencing their first love, feels refreshing and innocent. At the beginning of the manga, it seems the only major problems you could come across are usual shojo issues like miscommunication and a love rival. ... The start was, so you could say, very typical and inoffensive. However, the authors quickly decided to throw every cliche in the book into the mix, probably hoping to have a serious and engaging story, which never even happened. In the end, I believe the only thing they've achieved is writing the scariest, most criminal and disturbed male characters in psychological shojo, but even that comes as a price since theyre never even realistic or addressed as such, just creepy. All characters have unfathomable flaws: the female lead feels like a concoction of the most random tropes and despite making a whole deal of her feelings, never really arrives at saying or doing anything of them at all, she's just plainly indecisive of everything, the male lead is the most unrealistic, idealized version of a middle schooler you will ever see, and we never even get to see what his personality is supposed to be like cause all he does and feels is in response to the fl being hard headed and uncommunicative, the 2nd ml is a downright psycho, an assaulter and an obsessive creep that goes back and forth between his delusions, whenever it seems he's about to see the reality that he's two steps close to deserving a restraining order, he goes back to being the worst man on earth; at some point we are trust with a random villain that's the embodiment of cliche mentally ill psycho and it's so nonsensical it would make any run of the mill shonen author pale in comparison, lastly the friends are possibly one of the worst aspects since not only are they plain, boring and one dimensional, they are also as indecisive as the protagonists, you wonder 100% of times whether they want to help their "friends" or are just there as agents to ensure the crazy behavior keeps going.
Overall it's nonsensical, indecisive and unstable writing, where clearly the authors didn't know what they were initially aiming for and so it made it easier when the time to add and add random, badly executed plot twists to extend the publication came.
All in all, you could read this if you want, but honestly, if what you're searching for is something unserious and uncomplicated to pass the time, there's better works; if what you want is a love triangle, a first love story, an amnesia plot, even a "older girl younger boy" manga, there's PLENTY other works; and if what you're looking for is a psychological work with stalkers, abuse and yandere characters, there's also way better works! In the end, there's really no good reason for anyone to read this particular work, since there's not a single point that didn't make this a waste of time.