Premise: Fudatsuki Kenji has to constantly care for his younger vampire-like sister, scaring away all people around her (protecting them from her), while also acting as her daily blood bank. During their time in high school they run into romantic hijinks (with other people of course) as well as realize their special familial bond.
Fudatsuki no Kyouko-chan attempts to fit into a specific popular genre of "episodic, infinitely repeating, and comical expressions of love or understanding between people who will never admit their feelings until the last chapter," instead of something deeper and perhaps more controversial like what the premise promises. It rather successfully filled that genre. However, in my opinion, the premise had so much more potential, all of which was lost to what it is now. Now don't get me wrong, this manga is *cute as fuck*. But there was just as much wrong with it as went right.
Story: 6/10
In pursuit of becoming an infinite slice of life/comedy/romance "wow that's super cute look how wholesome it is" it becomes a "you don't need plot or anything, that's too heavy, also throw out continuity too" because of how much promise it had in the beginning but had to shave off and how many possibly heavier themes it could have covered but would have not fit its designated cheery atmosphere. I know I keep talking about the premise but it is just that important.
Many questions invariably arise... which would be VERY interesting to flesh out, but never are. What about his and her family? Can't she wear her hair in a more secure way? What is the origin of the ribbon as a talisman? How did they get by in the past as children? Why doesn't daily blood sucking result in any neck scarring? How does Kyouko cook great food if she can't consume human food without feeling sick? Instead we are treated to some 37 chapters of ribbon-on/ribbon-off tsundere act. Ad infinitum. The romance premises were extremely endearing, but all plot points met long-delayed yet abrupt and unsatisfactory resolutions.
--> My biggest observation: this story was never about hiding her true identity as a vampire or protecting other people from her (like the premise would have you think). That would be too interesting. The "danger" or "jeopardy" is not placed on something like being discovered, it is placed on shallow romantic relations and misunderstandings.
The story had a ridiculous amount of potential. Too bad it threw it all away.
Art: 8/10
The art is great. All the character designs are endearing. Everyone's appearances are very distinct.
Character: 5/10
The main sibling pair Kenji and Kyouko are very endearing. Kenji is the most fleshed out, and his personality is evidenced to be a product of the environment he's forced himself to mature quickly in. Kyouko has a nice character design, but her entire role in this story could be summed up with the ribbon-on/ribbon-off gag/act.
A specific few side characters are evidenced to be incapable of human cognition and reasoning.
The characters are all exactly what the author wants them to be: simple and distinct. There is no depth to any of the characters, since I infer they're not meant to be seen as three-dimensional people. However it could have been very different. By the author's vision though it serves its purpose well, so I won't stir anything more.
Enjoyment: 6/10
What was VERY enjoyable: the setting-up of premises! The jeopardy of the situations the author puts these characters in are genius. It makes me look forward to what will happen next.
What was NOT enjoyable: being strung along and bullshitted until the end of the manga because the author just had to have some limbo in place to keep things barely interesting.
Overall: 6/10
This manga was the feeling of someone telling you about a great amusement park, then arriving to be met with a botanical park. It's a nice park with nice flowers, but it's not what you told me. This is NOT supernatural or drama or even comedy, it is tease escapism-romance which is concentrated on selling well to a large casual audience. I should not have expected so much out of Fudatsuki no Kyouko-chan. It became increasingly more difficult to read as time went on because I kept losing hope (and interest). If you like this genre I suggest you read it, but only until you feel numbed with disappointment.
