Mairimashita, Senpai
You Got Me, Sempai!

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Mairimashita Senpai is without a doubt one of the best series with a realistic and healthy couple dynamic which is very hard to find, I adore how they communicate properly with their relationship with each other and how they grow as a characters. One of the reasons I enjoy the series is that they come together quickly and build their relationship, they also have a high level of trust and respect for one another. The love triangle is not even worth mentioning because they won't even stand a chance.

Even if the chapters are short in comparison to other series, they are enough to tell an ... inspiring story. The communication between the two couples is so strong that you will immediately understand why communication is so important, they openly discuss their problems and how they are feeling right now, which many other relationships have failed to do so, they then work it out together and reassure each other of their love for one another. This behavior prevents them from having concerns in their relationships due to misunderstandings unlike other series.

If you like healthy relationships, I Highly recommend Mairimashita Senpai
(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡

Since there is no review about this yet, I'll give it a go.

This is a fast-paced, (probably) rather short and lovey-dovey romance story between the two characters Koshino and Mizukawa. There is no big drama yet, and the main characters don't have any super special and unrealistic features to them (like being the most popular, beautiful, etc.). If you enjoy following 2 people being cute together, you'll probably like this.

Story:
The story felt a bit weird in the beginning. Basically, Koshino falls in love with Mizukawa and more or less immediately confesses to him. Mizukawa agrees to date her, even though he didn't even ... know her name at that point (lol). After that, the chapters mostly consist of spending time together at school, home, dates, including the usual stuff like birthday and valentines day. In those 16 chapters which are out so far, roughly a whole year passes, so it's pretty fast paced.

Characters:
Koshino is a first year (later on second year) student at high-school. She's cute, very open towards others and pretty squirrely. She seems like the kind of person who's always smiling. She fell in love head over heals for Mizukawa and is always eager to make him happy and spend time with him.

Mizukawa is a second year student with a rather cool character. He's basically the opposite of Koshino; he's calm, sometimes a bit sarcastic and less open towards others. But at the same time he really puts effort in making her happy and also showing (and telling) her how he feels about her over and over again.

This is so far one of the best, or maybe the best, shoujo manga i've ever read. The character development was so pretty and absolutely natural. The couple was so mature about their problems and how to deal with them. Something that I've actually never seen in shoujo mangas is a strong minded main character, but that's something that you'll find here. And also the second love interest (actually the mc was not intrested in him but...) was not the usual type of "i'll take her from u man", he was the opposite. Respected the fact that she already had a boyfriend and loved her ... in his own way. Can´t wait to read another series from this autor. Love it, absolutely reccomend it!

tl;dr - An outstanding pure romance manga that not only provides a couple with great development but also one with a high level of maturity. Arguably one of the strongest and healthiest relationships relative to most manga at least. At the end of the day though, it is more on the average SoL type of side, so you might not be getting the muh deep characterization if you are looking for that.


To be honest, shoujo manga never really gets that much attention here on MAL, not controversial enough I guess? While yes the vast majority of them do follow some cute at best, frustrating at ... worst tropes, there's always a few hidden gems hidden behind the blushing and forced kisses. This is definitely one of them



Story:

The story is pretty simple. 1st year Serina notices a love song's lyrics scribbled on her desk by an upper-year senpai (later to be known as Mizukawa), and before you know it, they're already dating. Straight away you can tell this isn't your average shoujo manga top kek.

Rather than being a dragged out story leading up to the final confession/kiss, instead what we get is a story of how the 2 of them learn to grow with one another, and learn the pros and cons associated with romantic relationships. The plot mainly follows their everyday lives, as we see them laugh, have fun, flirt a little (ok maybe a lot), have a couple of petty fights here and there, makeup and continue. But through these moments, the 2 learn more about each other, they get to realize the flaws in each other, and themselves and they use them to grow into better people, for themselves and for each other.

Most importantly though, we see them actually communicate with each other. That already puts it way above lots of other shoujo manga. One of the key plot points for drama within this demographic is the introduction of a classic misunderstanding that arises from a lack of proper communication. While yes, it can be a way to spice up the story, more often than not it ends up being just plain annoying.

See, what I think this manga does right, is it shows the natural progression of relationships and how important it needs to be reminded that it's a 2-way street. What starts off as an overly romantic/fantasy relationship starts to regress a little here and there once issues start popping up like exes or entrance exams. However, unlike most stories of this nature, which chooses to portray a linear decline type of relationship (like for instance, Love Calander) this decides to give it a big fat 'nope'. Why? Because. they. com-uni-cate. Seriously the amount of times they actually talk through their problems and their feelings towards one another, what they're thinking right now and so on is like a big slap in the face to a lot of other series' that fail to do so, as you realize scenarios which usually would've taken like 5 chapters to resolve, get's resolved in the matter of 2 pages.

One thing I will say though is that at times the pacing can be a bit too quick. I mean, if you're already having (consent) kissing and nearly sex in the first 3 chapters of a non-smut-josei manga, then you know there's some lighting speed there


Art:

The art is really well drawn, some proportions seem a bit off at times and Serina sometimes feels like she has 60 different faces but otherwise, it gets the job done and more



Character:

The characters (as in the main couple) are the best part of this series and will easily make or break it for you.


Serina - The main MC of this story, she is the first-year girl who initially falls in love with senpai and gets the ball rolling. Straight off the bat you can tell she isn't like most shoujo protags, in that not only is she not shy to express what's on her mind at times, but she's also not hesitant to actually do couple-y things like holding hands or better yet.....kissing!!! Throughout the story we see how Serina develops from not only getting rid of her insecurities in dating senpai, but also how she learns to develop her own ambition, and become a better person so as to not become a burden on their relationship and cause it to become toxic.

At the end of the day though, she's still a shoujo protagonist. Expect lots of blushing to happen.....lots


Mizukawa - Arguably the best character in the series, he's pretty much the bigger reason why this relationship is as good as it is. The moment he realizes something is up, he immediately starts asking what's wrong in an attempt to de-escalate the situation before it can get out of hand. If only more guys in shoujo manga can do this then it'd be a whole other situation. But he is not flawless mind you, we later see that he still has his share of flaws and will not always have the right answers, but that's why he's growing alongside Serina, not just with her.


Ultimately, I find that the 2 of them shared not only some great romantic moments, but also some mature ones. Yes they may have started out a bit awkward in the beginning, but you slowly start to realize the impact that each has on one another and how their characters have changed as a result of their relationship




Enjoyment:

Now I'm obviously a sucker for series' that show daily lives of couples that are actually intimate with one another, and on top of that having one as mature as these ones are is like a field day so obviously I really enjoyed it. I can definitely see the fast pace being a hindrance to some at times, but I think the experiences that are shown tell the tale perfectly enough

How do you imagine your ideal relationship? Possibly good communication, reassurance, affection, and making happy memories together? Mairimashita Senpai checks all of those. This manga has one of the best, strong, and healthy relationships I've seen in a manga or anime.

The story is fast-paced compared to many other romances. The two characters get together right from chapter 1. Usually, there's the "chase" or a confession many chapters later. But this manga is like, "You wrote cute song lyrics on my desk, I like you, so let's date" within a day. The story focuses on their relationship and how they handle different situations like Valentine's Day, ... amusement park date, being at home together, etc. There are plenty of sweet moments in the series.

The art is very fitting for a shoujo manga. I like that quotable dialogue, Serina's inner thoughts, or times when they are together, get a big placement on the page. Some of the art looks beautiful and memorable.

The relationship between the two characters is very strong. Other shoujo mangas have insecurities in the relationship because of misunderstandings or jealousy. However, this couple openly talks about their problems and how they're feeling at the moment. They work out their concerns which many relationships fail to do. They both reassure each other all the time in how much they like one another. As for physical affection, characters do the right amount of teasing without being forceful.

I think the only problem is that the characters aren't particularly special themselves. Like you only know them on the surface-level. Also, the side characters are there but don't matter as much; later on, they will be. Looks like that's where the manga is headed.

I looked forward to reading each chapter. I like the cute dynamic between the characters. The manga has teasing moments like a little fanservice which I liked. Overall, you will like this manga if you want to read about a great relationship. Not sure how realistic this is but you can learn from it or dream about it.

There is nothing really exceptional about this series except for the artwork, which is rather nice, but not unique. Not much about this series is unique at all and the characters are banal at best, but that may just be this manga's power. It's believable. I can see middle school and high school girls being able to relate to this manga, as the manga clearly tries to play up to what society perceives the emotions and dreams of an excitable teen girl are like.

There has literally been no original plot here, with each chapter being the typical fare of the shojo genre: Valentine's Day, ... Summer Vacation, White Day, Amusement Park Date, Going Over to Each Other's House, Friend's Crushes, School Festival, Skipping Assembly, Movies Date, etc. There is no overarching plot or arcs, so the series feels more like an anthology of one-shots. Each chapter culminates in a super fluffy and quotable moment, which I will admit are very cute.

In my opinion, there are much better entries to the High School rom-com genre than this series. The only thing I can really commend this manga on is that the main character's relationship is non-toxic and unexpectedly mature for their age, and is a good model for young couples in high school to follow. No over-over-over-protective boyfriends. No overly-insecure girlfriends. No physical violence. There is trust and growth. Cute, sweet, fluffy moments. Boy doesn't pressure the girl to do "H-things". No emotional blackmail or sexual abuse. No cheating.

One thing I am so happy to have been deprived of is the hackneyed bullying trope. I am so glad the girl isn't conveniently homeless either, or that the guy is conveniently rich. They are very ordinary and as real as it gets, which, as I said at the start of this review, may be this manga's power after all.

There are plenty of moments I like about this manga. The art is amazing, and there’s a lot of moments that give me butterflies.

This isn’t really one of my favourite shojo though. Personally, I don’t really like the attitudes of the two main characters. Especially the guy. Whenever the girl gets insecure about their relationship, the guy isn’t very reassuring. He tells her stuff like he doesn’t know if their love will last or if he will still have feelings for her in the future. Some people might like that part of this story, maybe because it feels more realistic, but to me, it just ... doesn’t feel right. It makes me think he doesn’t really love her.

A series about the romantic relationship between the female lead and her sempai. That's about it. No really that's it. Stop reading the beginning paragraph there is nothing more about this series. Seriously stop. I'm warning you..... Ok there is a vey small love triangle. But It's barley worth mentioning. But besides that there is nothing.... Ok there is also the classic study so lets not see each other a while drama. But beyond that the story is pretty cookie cutter type stuff.

The mango starts off with the FMC seeing that her desk has been vandalized with a song lyric. So she ends up being ... a desk pen pal for like 5 pages. Then she falls in love with the guy who wrote in it (the desk pen pal) who also is now in love with her. They began dating just like that. We are halfway through Chapter 1.

The series is split into a few arcs. The getting together arc (not just chapter 1 but the first 2 volumes). This is where they sorta test the waters. Honestly this arc kinda sucks dick. Not only do the characters are just speed running. But like the art isn't that good either. At times especially in the middle. Its fantastic but it definitely feels off way too much in the beginning. This sort've makes a resurgence at the end as well. Which is not good, The ending is the final message or note you are leaving people with.

The series is solid for its daily slice of life stuff. Albeit it never really elevates itself either. Its a fun time killer. Lots of cute moments. Some light jealously moments that aren't really annoying but still cute. Overall as far as the romance and couple chemistry goes. Its fun. Its fun to watch the characters interact with each other. Slowly and surely they fall deeper and deeper in love. There relationship becoming more solid as time goes on.

There is a Token love triangle in the beginning. That lasts a whopping 1 chapter. I wouldn't even count it as a love triangle. Not even that there is another character that pines for the female lead but there is so much breathing room given that I wouldn't call it it Love triangle either. I do think this part of the series was actually done well. He never kind of overstepped his boundaries or anything. Understood doing something more would be a bad idea but at the same time wanting to hold her. Very well done.

In the end the series loses itself near the end once again. The art also does become somewhat weak as well. But I don't think there are many issues in the series. I just realized the side characters in the series had a minor presence. There was no milking of the side character romance (mostly).

I have read a lot of shoujo series. I find it hilarious that romance manga aimed at men barely have any sex scenes but romance manga aimed at women have like multiple sex scenes. What's up with that shit. This is some dumbfuck irony going on here.

TLDR: A very enjoyable time killer that never leaves the pond it resides in. 6/10

Most romance anime/manga settings start of with an explosive or eye-catching setting like maid sama, my little monster, ao haru ride, Toradora, horimiya, ouran Koukou, Kimi ni todoke, etc, etc. (all of which I love btw). And from there the romance develops because of those circumstances.

But mairimashita senpai, is literally the first manga I've seen with like the most uninteresting setting and yet the most beautiful, realistic and probably the best development I've seen in a romance ever. Don't let the word realistic put you off, it is definitely interesting each chapter draws you in more and more.

Initially the female mc is more interested, but ... as time develop they form genuine feelings for eachother and really navigate what it means to be in a relationship. It's weird because what you have are two very rational mcs, rather than most manga/anime who form misunderstandings off of one or both of the character's inability to communicate. You get to see actual romance problems between rational individuals.

Serina the female mc tries her best to be understanding though it doesn't always match with her feelings and sometimes because of it struggles to say what she needs to say. The male mc is quite straightforward but very thoughtful and always considers her feelings first. Despite this they still go through many trials but try their best to get through it together.

Even the competitors, the male competition, even he ends up being likeable because you can see he is genuinely conflicted though he knows he doesn't stand a chance he struggles with his feelings, but he's not passive either which is important, you can tell he's a genuinely good guy. Not the good guys that keep quiet cos the male mc is their friend, but the good guys that are considering how the girl they like feels.

Even the female competition, ends up likeable also. Honestly this is just the best romance I've ever read from such a simple plot and level-headed characters, but still interesting and heart-warming. It really grows on you, I read it in one sitting.

A solid 10 in this work of art by Azusa Mase

its your typical love story but if focuses more on the how the characters develop their relationship much more strong as time went by it can be by terms of understanding each other or by understanding each others problems and solving them to become more strong to their relationship.
Despite having their relationship so fast like CM punk's UFC Match you will understand that their relationship wasn't taken for granted, they haven barely known each other and they started dating because of the songs they vandalized. you can see the development for being total strangers ... and lovers into a unstoppable couple where they get stronger the more they understand and trust each other.

This manga made it very clear that it was purely going to be about the main couple and their relationship. It's not like they had huge redeeming qualities that made them your typical main characters, they were just regular students. The main girl, Koshino, very early on asks the main boy Mizukawa to be her partner, and then it's a show about the development of their relationship. It's a very cute, and somewhat realistic depiction of romance along with the problems and insecurities that arise.

I'm the type to typically dislike quick, out of nowhere romances--and although the Koshino asks Mizukawa to be her boyfriend ... early on and he accepts--they are far depicted to be in a "developed relationship". A very enjoyable read, very pretty, and it's interesting to see a romance develop between two people who barely know anything about each other.

A lot of people who read this manga might say that this manga isn't that good or it's just a regular romance story. But they read the manga without delving into their emotions.

This manga is about a healthy relationship between two people which is really rare in the world of manga. And some forget how difficult that is to find.

They struggle with communication and jealously. And they both try to show their love to the other with gifts or words. Both people in the relationship aren't outcasts or part of the popular clique. They're normal highschool students who get along with their classmates which is ... easy to relate to.

Give this manga a shot. Try not to think of the manga on a 1 - 10 scale, but on how much you enjoyed it.

This manga is one of the the most realistic and down to earth manga I have ever read.. and I've read a lot of shoujo manga. ^^

The story is a typical shoujo manga story at least at the beginning, but as the story unfolds it gets more and more realistic/ down to earth.

The art style is really cute, and pleasant to look at through reading the manga.

The characters are well written. In the beginning they are your typical shoujo manga characters, but as the story unfolds the characters get more depth to them.

Overall I really love this manga, because it shows a more mature/ ... realistic side of the shoujo manga genre. And there are some pretty useful advice in there.
I just really love the fact that "love" in this manga is not portrayed as something eternal and easy to maintain. This manga shows you that love can change easily and it's hard work to maintain it but as long as your with the person you love your going to be fine. ^^

Highly recomend <3

I'll start off with a fair warning that this story is very much a cliché. The leads get together by the end of the first chapter, and we see them grow close and inseparable through the course of the story, with all the typical shoujo clichés (e.g. sports day, fireworks, amusement park day, etc.)

The positives of this manga far outweigh and make up for any perceived lack of originality at the beginning. I didn't have high hopes, but I was very pleasantly surprised as I read on. It doesn't have your way-overdone excess of misunderstandings between the couple that makes you wonder why they are ... even together and makes you dread it by the time you reach the end, but also doesn't bore you by having all the conflicts exist externally. The conflicts in this manga happen very organically, and are very realistic and relatable. I commend the author for exploring feelings that it seems many are too scared to, but which are very real. I found myself genuinely rooting for the main couple, and not just out of desperation or frustration. You could feel their love through the pages, and this may just be my overly lovey-dovey self, but I personally loved the at times overly sappy dialogue. I felt it really properly portrayed thoughts any teenager may have about the one they love, even if it might be embarrassing to read on paper.

Where the overwhelming amount of this manga's strengths lie to me is in the characters. I already praised the two leads, but I really admire how realistic they were while still fitting into a regular shoujo formula that is widely enjoyable in the mainstream. There is a small love triangle in this manga, but I wouldn't even call it that for fear of scaring off new readers. This plot point is never once overplayed, and as someone who really hates love triangles, I really enjoyed this part. Without spoiling, I found myself really liking the third character by the end of the story. All the side characters were lovable and played their own notable role in the story, but this was never overbearing. I realized I would really miss all these characters once I reached the end. They made me laugh (yes, for REAL) and I found myself rooting for side characters' couples, but these never took away from the main couple's story, rather added to it.

Mairimashita, Senpai may begin seeming like your typical unmemorable romance manga, but in hindsight, this is probably necessary in order to really demonstrate the development of the relationships and characters. It properly captures real feelings into a lovely, enjoyable story. I really recommend it to any type of reader. If the story doesn't get you, the lovable characters might, if not then the comedy and Koshino's faces might, or something else about it. It's a fairly quick read, and at the very least, I doubt you will regret it.

It is one of the best shoujo manga I have ever read, because it is incredibly realistic.
It conveys the thrill of being young, with which a very young reader can empathise and for which a slightly older one can feel an incredible nostalgia. However, it also does not neglect to deal with the anxieties of first relationships, such as fear of new things and of losing something precious to a mistake. Serina and Mizukawa-senpai's choices, although not always agreeable or perfectly logical, make it all the more realistic, because in the end teenagers need to experiment and it is OK for them to do so. ... No other manga I have read has ever done such justice to the power of teenage love as this one, for which one is prepared to risk everything. It does not tell the story of a love that blossoms, but of the commitment of two teenagers and then young adults to nurture it over time, even when the elements seem to conspire against it.

[might contain vague spoiler?]

Cliché, but done really well.

It has all the cliché elements/events in a 'shoujo'. The sports day, fireworks festival, etc. But in my opinion, it doesn't get boring. I just love them together.

At first, I thought it's all cute and fluff. But it took a realistic and surprising turn, which I really did not expect. I very rarely/almost never see it turn that way in a shoujo manga before so I'm pleasently surprised. And I liked it. It's somehow very realistic. It shows that love is not all about sweet times, sometimes you may get tired of it but if you really love ... them, it'll all work out in the end.

Though, I admit there are some flaws to it but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. I'd say it's a really good read!

i bloody hate shoujos, romance in general i would say, it makes me feel nauseous and i end up just wanting to keel over and die, but i also happen to be a masochist so i spend a lot of my free time going through shitty shoujos just to feel something. no one reads reviews in their entirety especially not about some niche shoujo that isn’t particularly popular unless you’re some form of nerd so i just come here to rant - before that i’ll be serious and actually try to review this in a somewhat beneficial way

serious review >:|
i think the manga portrays ... a very healthy relationship, we’re so used to seeing some toxic couple have way too many misunderstandings to be humanly possible that seeing two people just be in love seems terribly unique, this isn’t slow burn like at all, which i didn’t think i’d say this but i kinda miss slow burn, you’re expecting them to make out, sure as fuck they will so don’t expect butterflies everytime because the mangaka won’t make you yearn for it, the story is kinda wack , no deep dive into their past or character and shit but hey i don’t mind it, the art style is so lovely that couldn’t help but want to praise it, it’s cute, it’s healthy, it’s a breath of fresh air and it was enjoyable so give it a read!

rant, to get shit off my chest;
oh my fucking god, are there no public decency laws in this universe, goddamit the two MCs absolute fucking horndogs, making out everywhere, park bench, bloody school stairs straight up foreplay out in the open, jesus at least mention their into exhibitionism, at first i was like dude there’s no way they get that amount of privacy literally everywhere, but we see a short comic about a friend walking in and just immediately turning around, they make out in every goddamn chapter, every. single. one. and the art style is cute so i’m not complaining but like i’ve read some really shitty mangas where the slow burn is so goddamn strong that i’m physically combusting the first time the MCs touch, here though it’s kinda like yeah they’ll make out in every chapter so i does absolutely nothing for the butterflies in my stomach, also they’re so goddamn lovey dovey it makes me want to punch a wall like can you shut up for one goddamn second, “oh my god i want to spend the rest of my life with you” and “the only girl better for me is tomorrow’s you” like i’m absolutely gagging, wth, can you two relax, i can’t even hate them they’re so adorable, i don’t write reviews unless i absolutely hated something or i had a really good time and i’m pleased to say it’s not the former. what else can i grill - i think that’s it uh i’ve got everything off of my chest and i won’t spend the entirety of today absolutely bitter and frustrated (in the best way possible i really do love torturing myself with scenarios i would rather die than be in) this makes me seem like some romance starved asshole but i’m really not, you can enjoy shoujos without being particularly interested in people romantically right?