Reviews

Koi no Tsuki by Nitta Akira is very similar to My Boy (Watashi no Shounen). Koi no Tsuki’s literal translation should be Moon (or Fortune) of Love, the English translation has been Love and Fortune. The story is about a 31-year-old woman (Wako) who falls in love with a 15-year-old high school student (Iko). Wako is unhappy with her current relationship but feels obligated to stay with her current partner. Iko moved a lot with his parents so he doesn’t have friends. The two had a serendipitous encounter at the movie theater where Wako works as a temp and quickly falls for each other. The story depicts their relationship, and struggle through the other people’s moral judgment.

There are some noticeable differences between this and My Boy. First, there are physical relationships between Wako and Iko. Sexual activities are depicted, but no nudity. There are lies and deceptions by Wako which made her a less wholesome character than Satoko from My Boy, but not less likable. Also, I liked My Boy’s art style a bit better.

There is no English translation yet for this Manga (May 2022), but there is a live-action TV adaptation called Love and Fortune available on Netflix. The TV adaptation is almost scene-to-scene accurate for the most part of the manga. The ending is different. The ending of the TV show chooses a more ambiguous approach similar to My Boy’s manga ending. It is open to interpretation. However, the original manga ending is more definitive and has a happier tune. For people who are less satisfied by My Boy’s ending, Koi no Tsuki’s ending is more enjoyable, at least for me. Overall, I like this one almost as much as My Boy.