Matchmaking of the Amagami Household takes many beats from that series and its artwork can be so incredibly similar at times. The story takes place in Kyoto and follows the young man Kamihate Uryuu as he strives to become a medical professional. Early on, he is told to live on his own and is taken in by the caretakers of the Amagami Shrine. He quickly finds out that its three shrine maidens that are running things currently. The shrine maidens Yae, Yuna, and Asahi all clash with Uryuu and hijinx ensue.
Story 7/10 - The stories quite nice, with the location of Kyoto and the shrines being places that aren't always very common in the stories I read. Sure, we visit these places a lot in other manga, but they're never locations that I have characters actively living within. The story starts off pretty simple with certain elements getting added later on that begin to add complexity to the plot. The motives of Uryuu wanting to become a doctor get explored more, the reasons why he was told to go live at the shrine get explored more, and certain events start to happen to Uryuu that makes the reader hunger for more. I gave it a score of 7 but the upside is strong with this one.
Art 9/10 - My favorite element of this manga is its art. My favorite thing with The Quintessential Quintuplets was its art as well and Naitou Marcey has definitely been heavily influenced from their time working on that manga. The panels flow well and a lot of pages will be taken up with just 2-3 illustrations at times. All the girls are unique and drawn with good detail, facial expressions are well done, and landscapes are flawlessly drawn. I scored it a 9, but thats only because I feel like later on this manga can push a 10 as Naitou becomes a more seasoned mangaka.
Characters 8/10 - Uryuu is a refreshing harem protagonist, he's determined, hardworking, observant, and intellectual. He has some perverted moments, thats to be expected, but he never goes overboard or pushes the girls for more. Yae is the eldest of the three daughters and is kinda lazy and forgetful, but the reader always knows there's more going on with her than what is led on. Yuna is the Tsundere of this harem, but thats not a bad thing, she's strong willed, a natural leader, and cares deeply for her sisters and the shrine. Asahi is the youngest, but demonstrates maturity way above her actual age. There are other characters that get added as you read on and so far there hasn't been a single one I have disliked.
Enjoyment 8/10 - It's very interesting having a story with a strong Shinto religion part to it, it's something very intriguing within this story. I don't know much about it, but with only 16 chapters being read so far, I feel like Ive began to understand more about it already and I'm excited to see what other aspects of that I discover later on. The comedic value from this story has been great so far, I adore Asahi, she's kinda the no filter girl and I appreciate the laughs she brings me, Yuna too, has had me laughing at couple times already with her rage-filled moments and that damn salt (laugh).
Overall 8/10 - Im praying that this series gets picked up in the west, maybe a physical print one day? Its a good read, go into it not expecting it to be groundbreaking romance. Just have fun and give it probably 10+ chapters before you truly decide on whether you like it or not. Wishing nothing but the best for this series and Naitou-sensei! Bye for now!
