Kare wa tomodachi is one of my top ten go to drama-romances and with good reason. No manga reader picks up a shoujo romance title and thinks to himself "Sheesh, there sure seem to be a lot of misunderstandings between these people and a lot of unnecessary conflict and pain is resulting from it. If only they grew up and stopped making such a big deal out of small things!" Hahah, OK while reading, maybe we do let slip such harsh thoughts, but honestly, being a teen is hard, and it is precisely this anguish and delight of being a teen, finding and losing and
...
picking up the pieces of first love that Kare wa tomodachi expresses with gusto.
So as the story always goes, we have an (uncharacteristically) level headed and otherwise ordinary shoujo lead Hiyori. Her heart goes doki doki for the popular and friendly Mizuno in the next class but gosh darn it, how is she to approach him when his hoard of female fans won't let her through? Hmm, maybe his best friend who serendipitously happens to be seated next to her could help her out. However Sasamoto, accustomed to being the gentleman in waiting for Mizuno wants nothing to do with Hiyori. He's had enough of helping girls get to Sasamoto, using him as a stepping stone. But after much pleading he relents to poor ol' Hiyori's requests. And things even started going well... If by well you mean Mizuno being approached by his ex girlfriend for reconciliation just when Hiyori is about to make a play for herself and having that same ex girlfriend have a change of heart when Hiyori decides to back down. Tsk... kids today. So tempestuous!
The story seems original enough. Obviously by original I do not refer to a girl falling for a prince like character and trying to make him notice her, but the subtleties of the plot, the round about way each character's past and tenuous relationships are explored and how they determine their destinies is novel. For a drama, this story is refreshingly free of frustrating shoujo stereotypes and annoying character traits which make you want to hurl a television at the character's head.
Unpredictable plots are introduced just when the story is about to settle into a nice groove (it's a drama, it's no-one's fault!) but are handled sincerely. No turn seems outrageous or contrived and the characters make the entire situation very believable. Their are couples you root for, villains you want to throw eggs at and dashing bishies you just want to glomp.
Art is an interesting part of Yoshioka Ririko's works. While it's not particularly groundbreaking or breathtaking, it's cute enough, not overly flowery but it is impactful and original. Sure, they could keep their mouths closed a bit more, but then what would the reader whine about?! Precise characters are drawn with interesting expressions and fashionable clothes. The backgrounds and panel could have been cleaner and sometimes makes for distractions in reading, but it's not the roses and hearts and polka dots which can really be a deterrent.
Characters: Aaaah the meat and potatoes of this story. All the characters, invoke really strong reactions in even the most seasoned shoujo reader. They're quite original both in their motivations and how they handle situations. You really bawl when some particularly sad event occurs in the heroine's life or when her bishi imposes a punishment on himself for no fault of theirs, and the antagonists really make you grind your teeth together, plotting their downfall. I think that's the proof of a good story, when you immerse yourself so fully in your characters that you forget they're just figments of somebody's imagination and you wait with bated breath for someone to finally catch a break or even... GASP a happy ending! Well I'm still waiting for any happy ending, but the plot really sucks you in while retaining its freshness.
Though drama is definitely the foremost element of this story, the characters don't take themselves too seriously. There is plenty of humor and good natured joshing throughout the manga. There is also a healthy sprinkling of fun and carefree school experiences portrayed to keep the story grounded and perhaps as a break for the leads all dealing with a lot for ordinary 16 year olds!
I really enjoyed KwT. Each chapter doesn't necessarily end at a big cliffhanger, but you do feel uneasy until you know what happens next. No couple falls in love at first sight, nor do they break up over tiny misunderstandings. First kisses and sex aren't made the focal point of the entire series, though they're given adequate significance. Cliche premises are kept at bay and novel and realistic situations are explored instead. These are clearly a bunch of smart kids and you feel happy while reading this, rather than contemptuous or disdainful towards even one of them.
So would I recommend this story? Yes, if you like to invest deeply in riveting story lines. Yes, if you're not easily moved by substandard romances and are longing for something real but heart throbbing at the same time. Yes, if you want to cheer on for a girl looking to have a happy life, even if that means being single. But if you're looking for instant gratification and are quick to feel bad when anguish befalls the lead characters, then tread carefully. These kids are about to enter high school, and there's heartbreak, angst and longing around every corner!
 Alternative TitlesSynonyms: He is a Friend, He is My Friend Japanese: 彼はトモダチ InformationType: Manga
Volumes: 7
Chapters: 28
Status: Finished
Published: Oct 13, 2007 to Jan 13, 2010
Theme:
School
Demographic:
Shoujo
Serialization:
Bessatsu Friend Authors:
Yoshioka, Ririko (Story & Art) Statistics Ranked: #38322 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #3551
Members: 6,329
Favorites: 40 Resources | Reviews
Filtered Results: 10 / 10
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Jul 20, 2010
Kare wa tomodachi is one of my top ten go to drama-romances and with good reason. No manga reader picks up a shoujo romance title and thinks to himself "Sheesh, there sure seem to be a lot of misunderstandings between these people and a lot of unnecessary conflict and pain is resulting from it. If only they grew up and stopped making such a big deal out of small things!" Hahah, OK while reading, maybe we do let slip such harsh thoughts, but honestly, being a teen is hard, and it is precisely this anguish and delight of being a teen, finding and losing and
...
Dec 30, 2010
Kare wa Tomodachi is probably one of the most amazing mangas I've ever read in my whole life. Why? Let me tell you.
First: STORY The story is something every teenager (which is most manga readers) can understand. It doesn't run around the bush but instead, it goes straight to the point. "I like you." that isn't really hard to understand, right? Although I must admit it can be quite annoying sometimes but it goes well in the end or it goes to a different way you'd thought it would be. It changes. Because life changes as well. Secod: ART The art is not perfect but good enough. It ... 
Jan 8, 2014
I have to say that this story's plot was unexpected, yet rather DISSAPOINTING for a guy like me reading this.
There are specific reasons why I don't particularly like this manga. The story is about this girl, Hiyori, who first falls in love with a nice guy named Ren. The two of them go through various troubles though, and it's those troubles that shows how very selfish and immature Hiyori is, despite being the main character. Hiyori fails to realize Ren's situations, fails to understand how very kind and caring he is, and above all fails to see how much Ren ... 
Mar 8, 2011
Alright. so I'm not the best at writing reviews, but I'll try to make things clear. I hate stories where it's the same thing over and over again. It shows that the author isn't creative, and keeps going through the same ring. I'm pretty sure this author must have some good stories, but this was definalty not one of them. Most teenagers read manga for enjoyement and to escape reality, but if the manga reminds them too much of reality, than it's going to be something not many peopel will like. I found this story too much near reality due to all the heartbreaks and
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May 2, 2011
This manga was pretty good, not going to lie. At first the plot was pretty light and not that intense but then while the story was developing so were the characters. The plot is not the extremely original but it is original enough that you will have a break from all the predictable typical shoujo mangas out there. At first when i was reading it I said it was all cute and stuff then it got more intense and i kept wanting to read more. And the author develops the characters well like there were multiple times where i wanted to punch some of them
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May 27, 2013
here are the things i hafto say about this manga, they ignore ALL PROBLEMS in this manga, for a guy reading this... its really apalling considering how the author totally avoids all the problems that come up in this manga and tries to cover it up with an another problem that isnt even a really big deal... reading this trully will put a HOLE THRU A MAN'S FUCKING PRIDE, do urself a favor when u read this, be aware of how girls think they can come back to u even after all the bitchy shit they did to u and expects that u can totally
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Oct 10, 2015
This is my very very very first time writing a review and I'm not really good speaking English so I might use wrong words and/or grammar..
First: I really like this manga because I really miss my High School days and High School Lovelife and this stories reminds me of them Story: 10/10 I really like how the story goes and how realistic the characters are Art: 9/10 ... 
Jul 30, 2020
umm... i can't FOR THE LIFE OF ME understand why this has good reviews?
this was probably the worst thing i've ever read? at the very least it's the worst shoujo manga i've ever read to date (and that's saying something, considering my strong distaste for ao haru ride lol) first of all... i understand creating "complicated characters" but... two attempted rapists making up part of the main cast? troublesome!!!!! pathetic!!!! freaky!!!! disgusting!!!!! i'm genuinely wondering if the author has something wrong with them to write something like this like... not to be MEAN? but you're not okay if you enjoyed this. go to therapy! the ... 
Apr 19, 2011
Story - 10/10
I really have to admit that I hate love triangles because they just repeat themselves like any other manga. However, in my 3 years of otaku, this is the very first time I found something really WORTH reading(for love triangles or something like that).. and this was Kare wa Tomodachi. At first I thought that it was just similar to those other mangas but I'm lucky that I gave it a shot. I can assure you that this is a very good drama-romance manga. There will be lots of lessons to learn as well. I love how the mangaka did the ending.. really ... 
May 15, 2018
For me this was the best manga I've read in a very long time. I've read pretty much all the popular/ suggested mangas which set the bar really high.... But for one that isn't as well known, this one really hit the mark for me in a good way, it was really REAL.
Characters: 9/10 You've got an annoying female character, the strong but passive female lead, a male lead that is quiet and doesn't show his emotions very well, and the popular male that gets what he wants, which leads us to having a not original story line, but it plays out well thanks ... |
