Urami Koi, Koi, Urami Koi.

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tl;dr: A manga that’s pretty solid all around in terms of plot, character growth, and relationship growth though with some rough edges.

The first thing I’d like to note about this manga is the world itself. The manga is about a modern-day Japanese town that’s controlled by twelve clans, each of which has the power of one of the animals of the Chinese zodiac, and thus zodiac related mythology plays a pretty important part in this manga. Of particular importance is the legend of why the cat wasn’t included, which essentially amounts to that the rat tricking the cat into being left out. This manga builds ... upon that while combining it with elements of Japanese folklore to expand the story such that the cat that was left out was so consumed by hate that it became a yokai that wanted to bring about the destruction of the town. It also uses other elements of Japanese folklore, such as that the twelve families are necessary in order to protect the village from oni, or ogres as they often get translated. It also puts some new twists on zodiac mythology, for example while the standard legend has the rat come in first because it rode on the back of the ox, the twist in this manga was that this was done due to the strong relationship between the rat and the ox, which carries forward into a strong relationship between the rat and ox clans. Thus, the manga has quite the interesting foundation of lore.

The story centers around the protagonist Kyouichi, who is supposed to be the heir to the rat based Nekuni family. However, he’s unable to use the power of the rat, and is thus considered a failure. He is attacked by Natsuho, the heir to the cat based Nekogasaki family, and a yokai known as the hateful cat. She intends to kill him and the rest of his family as an act of revenge fueled by the long-standing grudge her family has against theirs. However, she doesn’t, instead beginning to simply observe him and quickly becoming a close friend instead. The bigger issue is that there’s another villain in the background that was pulling her strings pushing her to kill Kyouichi, and they’re still operating in the background, manipulating various others as part of a larger goal. Over the course of the story Kyouichi and Natsuho fight against this villain’s machinations while slowly getting closer to their true identity. While doing so, they are aided and hindered by various other members of both the Nekuni family as well as members of the other clans, and thus end up getting somewhat involved with various inter and intra clan politics. However, the manga isn’t completely serious, and a good portion of the time is simply spent on slice of life and comedy which helps add variety and keeps the manga’s pacing good even when binge reading.

As all this occurs, both Kyouichi and Natsuho go through pretty solid character arcs. The Nekuni family is one that’s, to put it in a word, quite ruthless, and thus one that despite Kyouichi being a part of he greatly dislikes. Originally, he simply laments his powerlessness, simply treating them as an enemy, and wanting nothing to do with them, but over the course of the manga he realizes that this is simply running away and what he really needs to do is use his place to initiate change. It feels like some of his original character traits were dropped over the course of the manga, but it’s nothing too jarring. Natsuho starts off basically hating everyone and not wanting to form even minor connections with anyone. Over the course of the manga, her desire to stay away from others changes to simply being incredibly shy and somewhat socially awkward, she makes friends, forms attachments, and outgrows her original hatred, which is quite heartwarming. Many of the side characters also have pretty decent character arcs, especially many of the villains whom eventually become allies, but whose role transition is accompanied by fleshed out pasts and motivations and arcs that grow off of said pasts and motivations in such a way that they don’t feel like karma-houdinis at all.

There was some really good relationship development too. The relationship between Natsuho and Kyouichi was developed really well with lots of cute moments where it really felt like they were growing closer together and this relationship growth was also fueling character growth. But just as importantly was Kyouichi and Natsuho’s relationship with a girl named Ayaka, the head of the ox clan, and Kyouichi’s childhood friend and bodyguard. Her friendship with Natsuho was just as important for Natsuho’s character growth as Natsuho’s growing relationship with Kyouichi. Ayaka’s character arc wasn’t that strong but decent enough, being mostly centered around her being truer to her feelings regarding Kyouichi and acting on them, But the relationship development was pretty strong and they had pretty good chemistry as well, heavily in part due to good use of flashbacks. Things with the three of them only really get going properly during the second half, but once they do the dynamic between the three is incredibly solid and quite enjoyable to watch during both the serious and lighter portions. There are also various other romantic relationships and friendships that while not fleshed out nearly as well as with those three, are decent enough and fun considering the larger cast overall is quite likable and worth getting invested in the happiness of.

Plot wise, for the most part the manga is pretty consistent and flows well as it feels like it had a clear story in mind that it was progressing through. Some major cracks appear during the final arc though. It feels like there was a story planned out from the beginning, but as the author reached the ending they started noticing some inconsistencies and then had to move the plot in a somewhat forced way to get around them, but that lead to further issues that just spiraled from there and thus it definitely felt like the story deviated from what was originally intended, especially in regards to Natsuho’s backstory. Still, even if the details don’t match up completely, the overall plot comes together pretty well, character arcs all flow well, and thematically everything is consistent, so it’s not too much of an issue. Also, while things are somewhat messy leading up to and during the fight with the final villain, the ending and epilogue beyond that are in more depth than I expected it to be and feel like they do right by the characters. Thus, the ending overall I found very satisfying.

There’s a decent amount of action in the manga and it does have a lot of the aspects of a battle manga. A lot of characters have pretty interesting ability sets and there’s even some solid ability growth in the protagonist. It also doesn’t just pull out random twists but seems to properly flesh the action out usually. Still, I wouldn’t say it goes as far as being a battle manga as though a lot of the parts are there and at the quality a battle manga would need it doesn’t focus on them as much as a battle manga would, with the battles always just being there for the sake of pushing forward the plot and never much of a focus in and of themselves. The art is decent enough in quality at conveying what it needs to properly and design wise is solid enough but has a pretty generic style so it’s never particularly exceptional or memorable.

Well since I'll be the first person reviewing this and there are only like two chapters out I might as well. Also there may be spoilers that just happen in the beginning.

The story is basically your average clique where a small girl is a tsudere and the guy kisses her on the first chapter. It's mostly a romance, comedy, supernatural anime since the tsudere is actually a cat.

The art is good and there are some really detailed drawings of the characters, but nothing over the top amazing.

I ended up enjoying the manga by chapter two when the main male protagonist goes to his grandfathers house ... and a new character is introduced at the very end. It did make me want to know what happens next and I have high hopes for this.

I could see the characters becoming more interesting as the story progresses. I'll probably do another review when it's finished but overall I though it was pretty good and worth a shot. Just remember it gets better once you move on to chapter 2.

Urami Koi is a series that can easily be dismissed based on its premise, but that disguises a compelling - if slow building - narrative that's about how traditions often detract from someone's own value in their own personal lives, and how exactly to find value not only within those roles but also in actively shedding them aside if need be. It uses the twelve zodiacs (which are prominent in eastern thought and especially specific religions) to represent the stability of these roles, with the characters having taken up roles they were already destined to do - only for these characters purposes to clash against ... one another as the plot kicks into gear with attempts to overthrow this order due to the villain(s) of the series associating the involved characters as being collectively responsible for what those they've replaced have done, rather than associating with them as individuals. Various themes are explored in Urami Koi from this perspective - the inevitability of conflict and how to resist it, fatalism, what love changes about someone (be it familial or romantic) and how exactly can change to this order be given if the roles granted are fixed. Urami Koi in its limited timespan manages to wrap up all of these themes, never suffering from mood whiplash or tonal inconsistency, and has a damn good plot that ends on a high note, never feeling too long or too short but exactly as long as it needed to be.

At the heart of Urami Koi are the three main leads that also form the main romantic triangle that the series follows; Kyouichi, Natsuho and Ayaka. Natsuho for all intents and purposes is the lead who ties most strongly to the central themes of the series; she has no real place to belong, having been living off her hatred her whole life aimed at Kyouichi's Nekuni family for having an old rivalry with her own, being bound by a curse that has followed her as long as she lives. Upon encountering Kyouichi, despite negative emotions she feels from said curse, she grows attached to him and the town around him, to say nothing of falling in love with him in spite of the curse. Much of her character arc revolves around moving beyond her supposed destiny of eternal conflict with the Nekuni family and slowly embracing her growing romantic feelings for Kyouichi, wherein she actively rebels against the curse and decides to be defined by who she is as a person instead of continuing to hate him for his lineage forever. Along the way, much of Natsuho's character progression revolves around opening up and befriending others, with Ayaka and Sana in particular being important catalysts to her positive change over the course of the narrative. Natsuho overall was an excellent and admittedly adorable character, whose characterization despite my initial doubts I found myself immersed in and enjoyed from start to finish, which thankfully is a good thing because much of the manga is focused on her.

Kyouichi is the main male lead of this manga, being a dry, apathetic yet kindhearted in spite of himself young man who is socially discriminated against due to his initial inability in using his inherited powers compared to the other members of his family, made more embarrassing by the fact that he was supposed to inherit the position as head of the entire clan. This makes him on one hand deep in resentment both at his role and how it has actively hurt his life - to say nothing of the expectations thrust upon him by others that he failed to live up to - yet also makes him insecure about his own role in his clan, leading to someone actively drowning in his own self-hatred. These are character flaws Kyouichi eventually overcomes over the course of the series, slowly becoming more optimistic and outgoing with various characters and more worthy of note are his romantic interactions with both Ayaka and Natsuho - the former being inwardly awkward yet outwardly expressive and the latter being outwardly awkward yet inwardly expressive. His dynamic with Natsuho is arguably the most important one in the entire story, acting as a foil to Gouichi's more utilitarian approach to resolving conflict - with Kyouichi being more willing to engage in dialogue and constantly emphasized as naive yet well-meaning, and while he does mature over the course of the story he never collapses completely to being cold or brutal, remaining heroic and even despite his initial lack of inherited abilities gaining a more active role in combat compared to his more passive role in earlier volumes.

Ayaka is the third central main character of this manga, being a more spunky somewhat tomboyish young woman who self-assigns herself as Kyouichi's guard, acting as the heart of the story due to her quick empathy for other characters' circumstances - which also acts as a vulnerability, contrasting with how she indirectly forces Kyouichi of his role as the old heir to his clan. Much of her early interactions in the manga involve the irony of self-assigning herself as Kyouichi's guard when his role in the clan is something he distances himself from, and often taking the initiative in pursuing her affections for him. This gradually changes over the course of the series, with Kyouichi slowly coming onto his own as a yokai without defining himself as a clan member, leading to her slowly shifting focus and instead taking an encouraging role of this change - which contrasts greatly with her excessive focus on both of their pasts as his childhood friend, yet realizing that the person that initiated much of his more pro-active change is Kyouichi. Much of the manga's second third focuses on Ayaka's character progression and feelings for Kyoichi, while also having arcs where she saves friends that she didn't pay much mind to from falling and becoming demons, and despite much of the focus being on her romance with Kyoichi, her general active role in the plot never generally fades away - with extensive dynamics that are well-developed with much of the cast. Ayaka was my favorite character in the series for this reason, and I was genuinely impressed by the maturity involving her romance subplot with Kyouichi and how it concluded.

Much of the side cast is similarly extremely well developed; Gouichi is a fantastic foil to Kyouichi that isn't immediately apparent on first sight, both Torako and Haruno's dynamics with Ayaka are insanely well-done, Sen and Sana have an extremely well-written bond - with both characters and their feelings for each other conflicting with their traditional roles as guardians of the family taking an extensive focus in the narrative. Character interactions feel natural and well-written, with comedy being well-executed and focused more on the facial expressions rather than on the dialogue and punchlines happening quickly, never dragging out for too long. A particular mention needs to go to Miyako, Kyouichi's sister, who I was skeptical about due to the absurdity of a literal child having a major role in the plot, and yet this is both justified narratively and also well-developed in and of itself, with her dynamic with Kyouichi in particular being exceptionally well-written.

The artwork is gorgeous, with well-spaced panels on most pages that make it easy to read, helping dialogue flow smoothly from panel to panel. Character designs are basic yet expressive, with solid care placed on minor details involving clothing, backgrounds and facial expressions - the last of which is especially relevant considering the character-driven nature of this manga. There's a heavy emphasis on subtle character movements, but there's also a lot of gorgeous action scenes that are beautifully drawn. While not up to par with his work with Episode 5 of Umineko's manga adaptation, this is nonetheless a fairly pleasant manga to look at from start to finish.

Urami Koi is a fantastic shonen action romance manga, and I recommend it strongly if that sounds like it'd be up your sleeve, as the series is well above average.

Thank you for reading.

This manga now has 32 chapters and I can say I like how Akitaka worked on this.

Story-
cliche but let's not forget that characters and settings are part of the story. I like how Akitaka added the 'tsundere' character to make a twist on the main storyline. The progression is not hurried nor is it dragging. The author makes sure that each conflict that arises are being addressed. There's not too much drama nor is there to much psychological analyzation. The story may be light but it is amusing enough at least for someone that has the tendency to get bored on too much drama that ... doesn't have a strong backbone story.

Art-
I am not an artist so I am judging this based on an amateur's POV. I think the backgrounds and characters were properly drawn.

Character-
I think I've already said it earlier, but I like how Akitaka bundled these characters together plus we don't get to see only the main characters conflicts and growth but also the supporting characters.

Enjoyment-
Light and cliche but definitely not boring. It's true (just like in language), it's not what you say, it's how you say it. The story is common but the manner in which it is told and the characters that bring life to it give it a breath of fresh air.

Overall - 9 - It's still ongoing, so I think I'll look into whether the author will be able to be consistent in creating the right progression for the story and growth for each character. I hope this doesn't turn into just like other mangas that started god but ended up like it was rushed.

Mod Edit: This review was original posted for Urami Koi, Koi, Urami Koi. (one-shot) and has subsequently been merged into Urami Koi, Koi, Urami Koi.


The minimum requirements for a one-shot is that it either works very well as a self contained story, or gets you very excited to see it expanded into a full length series. This one-shot accomplishes the latter, and is just generally very well done.

Story: Very simple, but kind of endearing. You've got an interesting world, some simple conflict and romance, but its all straightforward enough that it makes the reading experience more enjoyable (sometimes less is more) 8

Art: Very well done. ... Action scenes are easy to follow, the main female characters have good designs (the male lead is generic as shit, but what else is new?) The art isnt neccessarily incredible in its own right, but its very polished and easy to follow, which is perfect for the story that is being told. 9

Character: We've got a couple tsunderes and a really generic nice guy main character straight out of a harem manga. Its hard to make distinct characters in a short work, so I can forgive the use of stereotypes and cliches. Hopefully their characters are more developed in a full length series. 6

Overall: 7.5. Its pleasantly surprising that a manga with a really crappy fetish bait cover is actually just a well told, well drawm shonen story. Worth reading