Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku
The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity

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Just by looking at the cover picture, you can tell it is another "Romeo and Juliet", "Delinquent and smart girl" cliche slapped together. However, the mangaka is able to turn these overused tropes into something amazing and wholesome that other mangas with the same plot simply could not accomplish.

The plot is simple: we start of from the perspective of a delinquent guy, our male lead Tsumugi Rintaro from a low-ranked public high school, coincidentally meeting with a petite girl, our female lead Kaoruko Waguri from a prestigious all-girls high school, at a cake shop owned by Rintaro's mom. Both schools are also coincidentally next to ... each other with a unfathomable hatred of each other. It is without a doubt both leads would need to navigate their relationship within the web of animosity between their schools and friends.

What changes the progression and pacing of this plot lies entirely with the characters, and the mangaka sure does know how to write good characters. Tsumugi, who is portrayed as a scary person on the outside, is soft and kind on the inside. He is able to learn quickly from and correct mistakes he made, intentionally or unintentionally progressing the relationship between him and Kaoruko. Kaoruko, who saw past Tsumugi's scary appearance and a love of cake, naturally opened up to him at his family's cake shop (for reasons that would probably be explained in the future). What is truly refreshing is that these two main leads are not shy of expressing their feelings and are able to face the obstacles head on whether it be from objections of their social standing or their classmates. The main leads and side character's honesty and respect for their values makes this manga enjoyable to read as they develop.

The art is nothing to be scoffed at considering the mangaka's first published work. Every character's facial expressions are extremely detailed and can invoke heavy emotions, whether they be upset, crying, blushing, or joyful. Every character is also unique and as a reader can easily distinguish who is who. In addition, the backgrounds of each scene are meticulously drawn to give an adequate sense of the setting of each event.

Within the first 10 chapters, there has been more meaningful progression between the relationship of Tsumugi and Kaoruko than other mainstream romance mangas. Although it is easy to see the general gist to what the ending is, I am excited to see how the mangaka will lead the plot to that ending as every chapter has been full of twists and turns, and heavy emotions that is hard to replicate after reading hundreds of the same genre.

If you are a fan of this type of romance genre, I highly suggest you give it a try. Even if you are tired of other mangas overusing these cliches, I would still recommend you try the first two chapters as it sets a solid foundation of what the rest of the manga will be like.

Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku is not a bad manga. However, I do not think it offers a distinctive enough experience to justify its high MAL score.

To compare, time tested manga like Chihayafuru, Tokyo Ghoul, Your Lie in April, and Fruits Basket are all rated lower than this manga. Current juggernauts like Spy x Family, Jujutsu Kaisen, Blue Lock, and Attack on Titan are also rated lower. It is in the same ballpark as big names like Blue Period, Solo Leveling, Frieren, Gintama, and Mob Psycho 100. So, what exactly are people seeing in this manga?

Mikami Saka is a skilled artist, especially with ... facial expressions. Kaoru Hana has some remarkable close-up shots during emotionally intense or complex moments that I hoped would be more effective within the framework of the story. They can capture subtle details that really capture what the characters are feeling.

Additionally, Rintaro and Waguri have a healthy, admirable relationship that positively influences their immediate friend groups. They also start dating relatively early and avoid the often-cumbersome dynamics of “will they, won’t they” romances. All the characters involved make efforts to communicate well and establish good relationships despite the challenges and biases caused by tensions between their respective high schools. As an example of good behavior, these things are fair to admire from the manga.

However, I think the dramatic tools the story utilizes are at odds with the story’s content. Often accompanied with genuinely enjoyable and natural slice of life shenanigans are multiple chapters of the following: characters calling friend group meetings to talk about one decision that a character plans to make, characters apologizing a lot to each other for really excusable transgressions, admitting they were not kind at first impression, revealing that they had a harder time earlier in their life, apologizing again after having just apologized for something else related to the something that has already been resolved. These, in and of themselves, are not bad story telling tools nor even inappropriate within the context of the story. However, the dramatic manner they are told has, for me, not appropriately matched the gravity of what has happened in the story.

Melodrama works in conjunction to the extremity of the circumstances it is capturing. Shows like Violet Evergarden or this season’s My Happy Marriage work because the characters are in obviously extreme, easily to sympathize with circumstances. Though the tensions between the two schools is interesting, the manga has not succeeded in convincing me that this tension is so palpable that there are compelling stakes for these characters to interact with each other.

Recognizing that I am an older manga reader and may be less interested in the material than a younger reader might, I would still recommend the manga to pre-adolescent or young teenagers for the sake of reading about admirable characters who solve their problems in healthy ways. However, I think there are much more compelling examples of these types of relationship in the manga world.

“Actually, when I saw it was you I was so happy.”

Kaoru Hana wa Run to Saku revolves around Rintaro and Kaoruko who develop a friendship despite the hostility between their neighbouring schools. If you’re looking for a wholesome feel-good story about growth, friendship and love then this is it. I’m a sucker for fluffy reads so I was very much beaming with happiness while reading this. It has romance, friendship, parental love, healthy communication and heaps of growth. All of the main characters are very likeable and the dynamic between Rintaro and Kaoruko is great. They’re both warm-hearted characters who compliment each other very ... well. Although the story can be a bit cliche at times, it’s really well-written imo. The pacing is excellent and the art is lovely. The mangaka has a beautiful grasp on expressions that really capture moments wonderfully and highlights the beauty of growth within characters. Overall, this story is a beautiful gem that conveys the importance of being true to ourselves and I highly recommend it.

This series is so monotonous and flat that the only way it has to convey the emotions of its characters is through words, this series doesn't trust you as a reader/viewer and your ability to read between the lines, it tries to be emotional most of the time through words and that feels so artificial and forced at the same time, the emotions of the main character and his progress/development in only 20 episodes is excellent as well as the communication with his parents, in my opinion that's the only thing that is really worth it.

Words are not enough to express how good something or ... someone is, this is the main problem of the series and the main reason why I couldn't connect with it.

If you want to know what I'm talking about I recommend Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu which unlike Kaoru Hana, defines its characters through actions, small details and uses words when necessary to give you that emotional slap you didn't know you needed.

This is your typical melodramatic romance manga where nobody seems to act like human beings, but rather like actors in some larger than life play. Something as commonplace as going to the beach with friends is turned into an absurdly cathartic, life-changing event, with hearty and sobbing speeches about friendship and how much life has changed and how much they've been through in just those few chapters. And everyone is constantly on edge about something or other, and then nothing can be solved in a subtle or simple manner, everything should and will be aggrandised for dramatic effect. People are constantly walking on eggshells, blushing, ... looking away, overthinking. A smile is never just a smile, it's a grand display of happiness. A sad face is never just a sad face, it's a tragedy.

And I get it, that's the appeal, and I'm sure that people who enjoy melodrama will also enjoy it. Personally, I don't think there's anything here that sets it apart from similar works, apart from the art, which is great. But the story and characters are just fine, and the romance aspect quite weak and dull, and as soon as I put it down I forgot about it completely in a matter of hours.

*All caught up as of writing this review 8/15/22

I don't do reviews but this series deserves it. It's a joy to read and both the main leads are just the best. The art is freakishly good for a weekly series, like the level of detail in the panels is stunning. Honestly a breath of fresh air what with all the cookie cutter high school romances I've read and watched. But if you're a sucker for this kind of stuff like me, I definitely recommend it. Only downsides of this series is that there aren't enough chapters and there's no anime adaptation (yet)

Why "Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku" is one of the best romance mangas right now.

Theres a good reason why this manga has such a high rating, and, although at a glance it may seem like an average romeo juliet story, similar to "Boarding School Juliet", its much more than that. The Characters, every single character is complex, and has different emotions. After just reading 5 chapters, you can really feel with the characters. Aftter 10 chapters, you can understand and sympathize with characters you may have hated just 5 chapters earlier. Even the characters that aren't very impactful to the story have some ... sort of spotlight. The emotional maturity of the characters was quite unexpected, considering this is tagged as a shounen. I wouldn't have been surprised if it was a Seinen or Josei. The story, it's a simple story, but, when a simple story is done right, it can be beyond expectations. The drama within the story is done right. It isn't dragged on for 15 chapters and the characters change throughout it. On top of that, the author doesn't forget about past events and continues to dwell on them. The art, the art is really good, especially the facial expressions. The authors use of facial expressions makes this manga even better than it already was. Everything about the manga is enjoyable. From beginning to end. 1 chapter feels like 10 chapters worth of character development.
Characters - 12/10
Story - 9/10
Art - 9/10
Enjoyment -10/10!

overall - fucking 10/10

I love ts but holy lord, every character is an overly saccharine bundle of honey, always apologising for shit that doesn't matter or thanking profusely for holding the door open for them. the manga's a fun read but you'll have to accept that this doesn't take place on Earth, it takes place in the fuckin halmark christmas universe where no one's an asshole in any way, at all. even kaoruko's kikyo friends come around eventually. if this manga had a few characters that acted like fucking human beings once in a while it'd be a bit easier to read with eager eyes. but some of ... the chapters drag on for pages of reminiscing all the times robot A was there for robot B and how thankful robot A is to robot B for everything robot B did, and then robot B would say "no, it was all you, A-chan!". my head's getting dizzy from all the rolling my eyes are doing.
so that's my verdict... two eye rolls stacked on top of each other out of ten.

People say im sorry the manga. I’m not joking. They say sorry AT THE LEAST EVERY OTHER CHAPTER. Sorry about nothing. About everything. Very mid. Character design’s boring. Kinda cute. Imagine this. Sanpaku eye trope the manga, but if it was made for people who have zero taste(the similarity between looks like a delinquent but actually isnt and all sanpaku eye manga is scary). It’s unbelievable how uninteresting the story is. Clearly Romeo and Juliet if all the Characters tripped over themselves to make sure not to hurt anyones feelings. They would apologize for having a different favorite color. Cab’t necessarily say it’s bad. More ... like entirely bleh. There are better healthy relationship manga, but this one is just bland after bland. Flipping page after page, you should count the number of “Im Sorry!” the characters say. Im not joking. Please count the number. Please. People pleasing the manga. 6/10. Art is fine.

At first, Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku, or The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity, seems like a normal rom-com SoL story with a decent plot. The male lead and female lead go to two different schools, Chidori High and Kikyo Academy, that seemingly despite one another, however, alongside this plot, this story has become something much more incredible than first expected, it’s now one of the best ongoing stories out there.

First off, this series is incredibly wholesome, it’s such a sweet read. It has such a comforting feel and this feel comes from every aspect of the manga. The characters are likely the best ... part of this manga. Each character is written with so much intention and detail and it’s amazing to see all the characters interact with each other, especially how they develop and eventually become friends despite being ‘enemies’ from different schools. The friend group that developed between the schools is so precious and it makes a reader relate, in a way, to the story. The manga is paced so well, from the romance to the semi-serious topics explored in the manga. Whether it’s the feeling of acceptance, feeling left out, or being able to finally move on, so many aspects of life are shown in the story, and it feels very realistic, which is something that the average romance manga would never achieve. The character development in the story is extremely well written, not just the romance and interactions between the main leads, even the side characters get major developments and it’s so incredible to see these developments. As a reader who followed the manga from the beginning chapters to where it is now, it’s truly amazing to see the progress each character has gone through.

It really does feel like a reader is immersed into the story. The regular SoL aspects of the story seem to be just as important as the romance. The characters' interactions feel human and mature, this is something that is seen throughout the story and it is awesome to see the story progress with this maturity, although it may feel almost too mature at times. Going into romance, the romance between the main characters is so precious. They interact and develop so well together, and it just feels nice to see them together. There’s a potential for side ships to appear as well. There also isn’t really a ‘villain’/second lead in this manga, when it comes to the romance of the story, which goes to show how extremely well written this manga is as it doesn’t have to derive its romance based on actions that a ‘villain’/second lead would take, compared to other romance stories in general. It derives its romance from pure interactions between the characters and it is very refreshing to see.

The manga doesn’t disappoint in art and its style either. Both minor and major details are so well managed, and the paneling is very smooth. The art is simply beautiful. There are many fun moments in the story, alongside such beautifully drawn moments throughout the manga. The close-ups of the characters are drawn extremely well, and the art style improves throughout the story. The art just fits the storytelling perfectly, and it's incredible to see especially as this manga is the first well-known work from the mangaka.

Saka Mikami has created something that has become one of the best ongoing romance stories in animanga. Personally, this story is currently my favorite manga and I've reread it so many times. In my opinion, this story is a masterpiece. I’d recommend it to anybody who would be interested in it.

Many manga and anime series have made me cried for sadness; but there's only been one who's made me cry true tears of joy and beauty; and that's "The Promised Flower Blooms With Diginity".

"The Promised Flower Blooms With Diginity" seems to start as your typical romance high-school manga. The idea about 'two schools fighting and not really getting along' may just sound cliché and overused. And it may just be. But don't get trick into thinking that that's what this series is about, 'cause it's really not.

Instead, "The Promised Flower Blooms With Diginity" speaks about the importance of being true to one's self, of ... being able to rely on those around you, and the so-very forgotten importance of getting to love yourself as much as you love those who you care about.
The intrinsic positivity displayed all thorughout the chapters and that always gets poured out in the interactions between the characters make reading this an incredible heart-warming, unique experience. 'Cause we all like our drama, we all are into our really spicy cliché romance stories with toxic traits and annoying characters, but sometimes we forget about how impactful the portrait of happiness can also be. And I think that's exactly what this manga speaks for.

Because "The Promised Flower Blooms With Diginity" does not speak just for its romance, which also does, and in a really refreshing way, that is. This series dugs into what being young really is about. The relevance of not being afraid of thinking that we can also be a part of someone else's happinnes and the importance of cherishing what makes us happy as well. Characters like Rintarou or Subaru really portrait this in a beautiful way. And that's probably what's made me cried so much.

Maybe that's just the reason why I feel this manga is made just for me. And that's why I think this manga might be made just for you as well, especially if you're still young and able to appreciate those friendships you've formed throughout the years.

And even if you don't feel what I did reading this, I think it's still a very impactful experience you might want to give a go. I'm sure that, one way or another, you'll be able to find a part of yourself hidden between those pages. Even if it's about the you you are now, or that you you left a while ago; your young self which still lies deep within you, along with its many regrets and memories.

'Cause, in the end, interpretations about the same story may differ a lot, but I think we can all agree in one thing: "The Promised Flower Blooms With Diginity" speaks beauty and love in a way not many other manga are able to replicate. Just read it, guys. You won't regret it.

And for those of you who have been able to make it this far down, I'll tell you the most important thing I got out of reading this story, and something I probably won't ever forget:

"Cherish those fond memories, so even when the world seems to be falling apart you'll be able to remember those moments that made you realize how much you love being alive and how much you love those who care about you. Because they exist, they're there for you, and sometimes you're also the reason behind their smiles; even when you can't get yourself to believe something like that. Don't forget it: You deserve to be happy as well."

This manga is a story about people in different circumstances discovering their feelings for each other, a la Romeo and Juliet and it really isn't even trying to hide its influence. The art is good enough and the story has a simple premise so that's all I'll say on that, instead I'd like to focus on the characters. The characters are very wholesome, everybody is nice to each other and much like the simple premise every character has the SAME character arc(except the main character differs if only slightly). I shit you not it basically goes like this the entire manga: "Here are these groups ... of people I was taught to hate and I'm mean to them but as soon as I get to know them they aren't actually that bad and we can even be friends"

That's it, that is 90% of the arcs these characters go through. I mean that in of itself isn't a problem as I'm not expecting every manga to have great character development/growth or even characters with strong personalities but man they are so shallow and don't actually offer much, in a way they almost don't even feel like real people. Even when they do bad things it's never truly framed as their fault or like it stemming from a flaw of their character.

This story certainly has its fans considering how highly ranked it is and frankly that is my main problem as for something in the top 100 IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T DESERVE THIS SPOT. If you want a better Romeo and Juliet story, with deeper characters, larger spanning narratives that affect the world and one that serves as a better allegory for how we treat those different from us in society I HIGHLY recommend BEASTARS as it absolutely shatters this manga in terms of pure quality but if you want a wholesome, no real conflict slice of life calm manga then sure you can read this one...

What sets this manga apart from others is its exceptional portrayal of character development between the MC, FMC, and their friends. It has been a while since I've been so engrossed in a manga that I find myself re-reading certain chapters repeatedly just to satisfy my craving. This manga depicts a beautiful love story intertwined with deep friendships. Both the MC and FMC cherish their friends profoundly, evoking moments of awe and leaving you grinning at the adorable relationships portrayed.

There are hardly any cringy moments, or rather, I should say there are none, unlike other rom-coms I've read. Most of the time, I seek a ... good story rather than mere fan service, longing to witness genuine love and friendship between the MCs and how they navigate their problems. When I gave this manga a chance, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it.

I'll say it once more: it's a masterpiece, and I truly admire the author for presenting such beauty.

Upon reading the premise, I thought this was going to be like a boring manga with overused and exaggerated tropes and stuff but knowing its popularity and how it's considered the best romance manga I decided to give it a try.
I can definitely see why people say that it is the best and I haven't read or watched that much romance but I can agree.

This manga is genuinely good. It has an appealing art and everything is pretty perfect. The characters are well written, the pacing is good, it's sweet and sugary, and it feels very refreshing.

First, all the characters are so well written. It's ... like they take overused tropes and all of that and make a gourmet meal. To some, the drama or some aspects may seem forced or exaggerated and I disagree. Perhaps that's because I can genuinely relate, I know people like that, and if I was in there position I would probably act the same but there is so much depth to it and it's not super unrealistic.

Second, it has great pacing. I can't describe it so well but the author really put it together nicely. Things are happening and it's happening at it's own pace so I personally have never gotten bored at all. The characters are developing, the relationships are developing, all in a timely manner. Sure it may seem quite slow but not in a bad way. It isn't being rushed or going way too quickly and there is a more natural and satisfying development to everything.

Third, it's a really sweet manga. It's so sugary and nice. That would be the best way to describe it. Compared to others, this one is a lot more wholesome and always has me smiling. Sure it has it's fair share of drama and tense moments but it's still just a sweet manga.

Fourth, you can say you learned something insightful from this manga. Genuinely, there is a lot of good advice and lessons poured into here so the next time someone says that your interests are boring and a waste of time, you can say you learned something from this.

Overall: 10/10
The hype is well deserved and it should even gain more love. From what I understand from the bad reviews, those people don't like it since they found the whole drama exaggerated and the romance forced. While I don't agree with that, it really depends on what you think in the end of the day.

I recommend that you read the first 10 chapters, my friend told me to do so and I got really invested from there so I believe you should do the same. It should give you a good gist of the manga.

This is actually my first review so sorry for any mistakes!

Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku is a manga that is defined by something not seen in the market of romcom, and that is good comunication. The characters act in good will, and are transparent in what they wanna and what they think, which is honestly a breath of fresh air. Every conflict is resolved with a good an old dialogue, where each character does his best to show their viewpoint.

In the beggining this was amazing. After all, nothing better for a feels good manga than to have wholesome conclusion to conflict, and no better way to have a wholesome conclusion than throught a ... conversation. I enjoyed very much as the conflicts appeared, and I dove in warm and cuddly feelings as I read about the coming of age of those adolescents.

However, after some time, something becomes very clear, the characters are reasonable in excess. They don't act their age, heck, they act more mature than a great deal of adults. Their actions are not flawed in the slightest, every decision made is the best inside the context of the character. Now, I not saying this is inherently bad, however it does bring a feeling of artificiality to their conversations and relationships(especially with the abundance of variations of "sorry" and "we love you" that are said in the manga).

Now, not saying that this is bad. Just like how in other romcoms you have to understand that certains toxic/unhealth/exaggerated traits of characters are made with enjoyement in mind, and shouldn't be take extremely in face value, here the same must be done, but in the opposite way: perfect emotional intelligence traits of characters are made with wholesomeness in mind. And it works, this is truly one of the most enjoyable and wholesome manga I recently read, but for me, it is a little hold back by how emotionally intelligent every single character is. If you don't have the same problem, then rejoice, you're gonna probably enjoy a great manga even more than I did.

I often look back to simpler days. Days where I had friends that I could rely on to celebrate my successes and console me through my failures. Days where I didn’t have this overwhelming feeling of solitude engulfing my heart. Perhaps those days are nothing but a daydream, conjured by my fanciful imagination. But it’s a rather nice illusion to have, even more so a nice dream to chase.

“Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku” is a manga about love, friendship, and crossing boundaries. More importantly to me, it's a manga that encourages its readers to seek out the same. Friendship is a beautiful thing. A ... good friendship is one of the few things that makes life worth living, but it’s so hard to find people that care about you, right? Well, friendship is a mutual endeavor. It requires mutual effort, mutual care, and mutual compassion. If you want to be friends with someone, the best first step is to initiate that effort on your own and show them that you care. This manga best exemplifies this through Hoshina Subaru’s character.

Before we go there however, let’s go back and look at the context that builds up to it. Rintaro, our MC, is a boy who attends the completely unremarkable all boys’ Chidori High School. Through the cake shop his family runs, he meets a sweet girl named Kaoruko who he soon finds out attends the prestigious all girls’ Kikyo High School. There exists a strong animosity between these two schools that gives the series a sort of Romeo and Juliet feel to it. However, it’s not exactly the main focus. What’s more important across this series is the power that lies in the strong bonds of friendship.

Enter Subaru, Kaoruko’s best friend since childhood and someone who staunchly believes that Chidori and Kikyo should never intermingle, influenced by her fear of boys. Subaru’s introduction presents an obstacle to the development of Rintaro and Kaoruko’s relationship, but it's not an obstacle that Rintaro finds impossible to overcome. Through his actions and sincere attempt to understand Subaru’s worldview, she is moved into eventually accepting that Rintaro is not the image of the awful delinquent kid she had in mind.

Subaru’s friendship with Rintaro, though it may seem cliche as I describe it, is something that sprung powerfully and moved me quite a lot. However, it’s not the only instance of love and friendship in this manga, far from it. In fact, there’s so much to talk about that I’m feeling intimidated just thinking about it. This manga wastes no time in developing its cast of characters, everyone feels like a real person and has their own strong personality and sense of identity. For example, there’s Uzami. He’s a very energetic person, eager to celebrate his friends’ successes and always ready to have fun. We’ve all seen characters like this in anime, but Mikami Saka writes Uzami in such a way where you can really feel the meaning in what he says. We all know that one friend with too much energy, and Uzami feels just like him rather than just some cliche. It's hard to describe without spoiling some of the deeper plot points, so I’ll leave it there.

I was also impressed by the depth of Rintaro’s parents. They’re surprisingly well-developed characters, you can feel his mom’s pride in her son and his dad’s passion in baking. They, too, feel like real people. They also give excellent advice and treat their son with utmost love. I’m realizing that I’m struggling to find ways to express exactly why these characters break the mold, but perhaps it’s simply in the way the manga is written. No moment feels cheap. No moment feels empty. Everything is working towards something, the gears of the manga are always moving, and I love that.

The art of this manga, as others have mentioned, is stunning. Every character actually looks unique and different from each other, and the background art is quite nice. Certain panels, such as Kaoruko’s smiles, the sunset at the beach, etc. will be engraved into your mind, whether you like it or not!

I suppose I could rant on and on about the various aspects of this manga that make me love it, but I don’t know if anyone would find any interest in that haha. It seems like I’ve already ranted for quite a bit, but I hope I’ve gotten through my love and appreciation of the series to you!

I'm a sucker for Romeo and Juliet style stories so I am slightly biased but at 34 chapters in and this story hits the expected emotional beats without dragging out the story. I don't read much manga but this and Horimiya do seem to have a somewhat similar in that the both have great pacing and a good side-cast of characters to compliment the well written main leads. Chapter 34 made me stop reading to come leave a review because of how much reading the chapter made me smile. May go up to a 10/10 depending on how the later chapters go.

Hey! Just ignore the bad and mixed reviews. I’m here to tell you that if you're into a romance filled with emotion, funny moments, good character development, and a light plot without any intimate scenes, this manga might be just for you. From my personal experience, I’ve been reading a lot of action-packed manga with heavy twists and complex stories for a while, but taking a break from those and reading something wholesome like this makes me feel great! Highly recommended for viewers who enjoy anime/manga of this genre! (8.5/10)
To be honest art-style is Ok not over the top or anything but it is really ... good for a romance manga like this and characters are very well-written with full of emotional build of they gone throughout the manga.

Ok, let's jump right into it; this is a series that can best be described as a "palette cleanser". In a world chalk-full of harems, isekais, and high school romances where you literally can't go 3 chapters without either a panty flash, a character turning beet-red and running straight into the sun, and a loud "Baaaaaaaakaaa!!!!" followed by a literal slap from God (usually all of the above) this series is a wonderful breath of fresh air. Let's break it down.

Story: A-
The premise of this story is really nothing special, school for rowdy kids parked right next to an elite all-girls school, delinquent-looking boy ... and model student fall in love, very Romeo and Juliet. The think that makes me rate the story so highly is the way it handles the drama that the premise creates. While at the moment the schools haven't really been given much focus, they haven't been ignored and still feel present, giving the interactions main characters a slight sense of worry, especially in public, but never enough to ruin the mood of the story. Drama that is normally stretched out into 20-chapter arcs is wrapped up much quicker and yet it never feels like it was rushed or handled poorly either. It loses a few points simply because due to the unoriginality of the premise, but overall, there is absolutely nothing to complain about here.

Characters: A+/S- (it's toeing the line)
Ok, here we are. I have the character rating so high not because they are the most unique, trope-defying characters of all time, but because they are some of the most believable characters that I've read in a Japanese romance series. Each of the character is both appropriately teenage, but also appropriately mature; they react to situations in ways I can honestly believe a real-life teenager of their personality type would do, with absolutely minimal anime bullshit going on. On top of that, the way they are written makes them incredibly lovable, like you just want to give them a hug or something. Now, I'm not going to claim these characters are even remotely on the level of the likes of Berserk, Monster, or any of the best of the best series out there, that'd just be straight up disrespectful to them. However, within the romance genre, especially those written by the Japanese, you will very rarely find more lovable or relatable characters in the medium and are the best part about the series.

Romance: A+
A lot of what can be said here is related to the character section, but to sum it up, the chemistry between characters is fantastic. It never feels forced, the progression feels natural, and most importantly, no random anime bullshit has popped up to create drama between them; the friend group is self-aware enough not to interrupt the juiciest moments or make them weird, and all points that might have created a rift between them in any other mange are quickly shot down with surprising maturity on the characters' behalf. I particularly enjoyed how they took care of the overprotective friend trope without making anything feeling annoying or forced in the process. It also doesn't fall into the pitfall of dragging out things forever, and usually gets straight to the next milestone in 5-ish chapters. The only reason I'm not rating it higher is due to a lack of development, but the series is only on chapter 42 and shows no sign of ending soon, so there isn't much worrying needed here.

Comedy: C+
The weakest area of the series. Now, not to say the comedy is bad or anything. It's perfectly acceptable as a matter of fact; it never intrudes in the story for the sake of a cheap laugh. It's just not that great; while you won't be groaning at any of the jokes, don't expect to get anything more than a light chuckle out of it; no belly laughs found here.

Art: S-
The art style is freaking amazing, but it's also tough to describe. Just flip through a couple of the pages, check it out for yourself. It falls under that category of art style that is somehow both unique and familiar at the same time, similar to Marimashita, Iruma-kun! In particular, the characters' expressions are always a sight to behold, in a very shoujo-esque way.

Overall: A+
What's more to be said? Read it, I've said everything I can, the rest is up for you to discover yourself. Read it!


For perspective, here is my ranking for Horimyia:
Story: A+
Characters: A+
Romance: A+/S-
Comedy: B
Art: B
Overall: A+

The plot is typical, where two socially split people develop their romance, but it feels less forced and more natural compared to other mangas with a similar plot. The stark contrast between the mc's appearance and personality is so good (gap moe!!!). The character's expressions are drawn very well, the smiles are very warm and it's easy to see how a character is feeling (imo the art gives me Koe no Katachi vibes). The characters in the story feel realistic, with no overwhelming personalities/traits. The pacing of this manga so far is amazing, the characters don't go around in circles and develop each chapter. ... Highly recommend it if you like the drama-romance genre.