Momokuri

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I'm usually a fan of cutesy romcom, especially ones with good art, but Momokuri just doesn't seem like my cup of tea, and here's why.

Story: 4
Slow. Ridiculously slow. Without any real reason for it to be slow. That's one of the biggest frustrations I have about the series, especially after reading series half its length that do a better job. If you're looking for a series that focuses primarily on trying to be as cute as possible, then you might enjoy it. Otherwise, it'll wear you down. Cute is good, but it's not after taking 40+ chapters and not even getting past understanding the basics ... about one another, let alone holding hands or kissing. And that's when the couple's already been established in the beginning.
Plot elements, especially conflicts, are introduced seemingly purely to keep the story dragging on, rather than as a natural progression. A lot of the conflicts are also really light, which I usually like. In this particular case though, it just makes the issues seem childish and forced.
Many times, conflict is introduced and doesn't get resolved. It's especially frustrating when the conflict introduced, though little in nature, actually could have major repercussions for a relationship in the long run, like the stalking issue. Yet, the author just brushes it by for a long time after addressing it for a second every now and then, and then going back to the cutesy aspects. It may be a small exaggeration, but it feels like 80% of the series is this person or that person telling another character how cute someone or something is.
Singular perspective. You'll be reading this story through a single lens of a cute-obsessed girl. It'll try to address other characters' points of view, but every single one feels the same. Their approaches to solving an issue are all very similar, which is to say, nonexistent.

Art: 9
The only saving grace of the series. It's in full color, which is a nice deviation from standard manga, and it's drawn well. It utilizes moe elements properly, including chibiforms of characters. However, it still has the same primary issue as its story line: Excessive focus on cutesy. The color choices in Momokuri makes the entire manga feels very ephemeral and bubbly. While I suppose it matches its overall tone and theme, I didn't like having to sit through pages and pages of that after a while. Don't expect any dramatic moments drawn super well or meaningfully. It's all tease.

Character: 4
They look different, but they feel the same. It doesn't feel like any of the characters actually have different personalities from one another. Norika is literally the only exception and probably the best character in the series, even though she's your token "scornful best friend" type. Not to be sexist, but every character feels like a girl. Even the character that's supposed to be "prince-like" feels absolutely like a girl. 0
New characters don't particularly do much for the story either, except maybe jump onto the cutesy bandwagon or introduce pointless conflicts. One example is Rio, who literally exists only to flame the jealousy of both Momo and Kurihara. The author then tries to introduce a pitiful background to try and elicit sympathy for her as a character, but it just seems to make her even more desperate. When side arcs are introduced, it feels just as forced.
The MC has about as much initiative as a roadside rock, and the heroine has the brain of a T-rex, which means situations that should have been "spicy" often ends up in both of them backing off, and practically nothing happening.
They're supposed to be high-school students, but their maturity's about the level of an elementary schooler, in all aspects.

Enjoyment: 5
I smiled for the first 5-10 chapters. It was cute, that it does well. After the 11th chapter, my patience started running out page by page. It's the same feeling as putting too much sugar in your coffee, and the sugar just keeps coming. After a while, you want to pour the thing down the drain because there's nothing else but numbing sweetness. Mind you, the sweetness in Momokuri isn't really anything relationship-sweet either. It's mostly clumsiness, just like the series itself.

Overall: 6
Being generous, since I can see why some would like the series if they're looking for these exact specs. I personally didn't like it, and I personally don't recommend it for any romcom fans. If you want to read a series with a similar premise, you'll be 1000% better off reading HajiOtsu.

Is your life nothing but depression? is your life full of the same old boring things? Do you crave the cute 'romcom' ness?! If yes, then this manga is definitely for you.

This manga is just the normal romance comedy with the two main protagonists obsessed over each other, just those typical side characters, etc etc. You get the point. Yes. It is just the average rom-com you can find anywhere.. so what makes it so different from others?

The answer is it's cute and doesn't say it isn't a rom-com. There is no serious plot development throughout the manga which I personally loved. Just plain ... old slice of life stuff with the characters and their hobbies as a main focus. No need for 'random people trying to block or take away the couple from each other and in the end, making them 'win by the power of friendship'. Nothing. No uselessly complicated backstories. It doesn't stray away from its path. It is a rom-com and it knows it. It doesn't act like something else it isn't.

The art style in the manga is mostly chibi. Illustrations are too cute and totally screenshot-worthy. The story isn't too great, and neither does it needs to be. It's just people enjoying their life which is good to enjoy out of a genre like this.

Minor spoilers in this para: This manga would have been a 10/10 if the ending was done a little bit properly. The problem I get with rom coms a lot is that the endings are never "the end." There is no sense of ending in the endings given. They are mostly portrayed as 'our life will continue on like this forever which I feel is a little wrong. There should be at least a little hint to their lives after school ends, or heck, even further down the line like when they are in their 80s or something?! Another thing that kinda stung me a little was the love triangle which was shown, there was no conclusion there. The triangle was confirmed and the unrequited love was shown, but, it felt lacking. That part could have used some more chapters instead of introducing some random fanservice characters.

Conclusion (spoiler-free): If you like romcoms even little, this manga is for you. If you like cute things even a little, this manga is for you.

Cute, heart warming. Those 2 words describe this entire masterpiece. The level of cuteness kept me reading it until the end in 2 days. The pace is very good, chapters are not too long nor too short and the characters are just lovable. You just follow mainly the main lovable couple with their pleasant friends during their daily lives. It's very good for romance and it's light-hearted. The story was really simple but sometimes, the simplest it is, the better it is.

The best point for me was the art. It's the first time I put a 10 on something I just loved the colours ... and the style it was really beautiful and pleasant to read.