So, compared to the expectations of the genre, here's what Hacchi Icchi does well:
- Character development. The protagonist spends time with each girl individually, and each girl is a presented as a unique, easily identifiable, and somewhat fleshed out, person.
- Stable cast. This isn't one of those manga that feels like it is necessary to keep adding new characters every couple chapters. In Chapter 1 you meet 8 girls and 1 boy, and then you take 100 chapters to get to know them.
- Moderately aggressive male lead (who also isn't a jerk). This is NOT 100 chapters of cock-blocking and "fainting from a nose bleed every time a girl smiles at him".The male lead is interested in sex, the girls are interested in sex, and they explore each other throughout the manga.
That being said, Hacchi Icchi is far from perfect:
- The ending is bad. The manga introduces unnecessary drama in the last 10 chapters, and then just stops without a conclusive ending. Then in the epilogue tries to make a joke out of the lack of a conclusive ending, which just feels insulting.
- Basically every character who isn't one of the main 9 is annoying, and the manga is worse off for their presence. This includes the MC's brother, the MC's friends, and the few friends of the girls that appear.
- The MC does learn and grow over the course of the manga, but not nearly as much as he needs to. He starts off a nice, horny, immature guy. He ends a nice, horny, slightly-less immature guy. You see enough of his personal growth and nice-guy character to understand why the girls like him, but only at a bare minimal level.
Over all, if you like the genre, Hacchi Icchi is worth reading ONLY if you are already a big fan of ecchi harem manga, and you've read the more well-known books in the genre. Otherwise, skip it.
7/10.
