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"A true gem."
"Will recommend this to my kids."
"Helped me overcome procrastination by inspiring me."

- No one, since this manga is way too underrated to have any popular reviews, let alone anyone knowing about this manga (that's why I'm here!)


Now that I've got your attention: let me tell you why Mihanada Pectolite needs to get the praise it deserves.


...
Kurihara is a brilliant student overworking himself constantly and neglecting his health to score the highest on each exam. However, no matter how hard he tries, he's always second to Kawase, the top student of the school. The latter starts noticing Kurihara's hostile demeanor, alongside his health issues and tries his best to help him. And assisting Kurihara, both of them get closer. Since this is a romance, you probably know how it's going to end.

School setting? Unoriginal.
Rivals to lovers? Overplayed.
Angst? Oh dear, we don't need any more of that. You hear a whole bunch of sad news every day.


And yet, the author manages to deliver a story that goes beyond those tropes.

I'll admit it, you do have your good old tsundere who can't help but frown all the darn time and cuss at the poor guy who's a happy-go-lucky sweetheart who happens to love him a little too much. And even if his grumpy-ass bf keeps beating him, he still loves him!!!! SWEET!!

I grossed myself out writing this, trust me. But I wasn't grossed out when I was reading Mihanada Pectolite because it's not one of those stories since the author used a powerful and efficient skill: character development!

Spending time with each other helps them overcome their inner struggles and help them improve as a person overall.

But I won't lie to you: these tropes mentioned earlier are genuinely represented. However, the author developed the personalities of her leads. Thus, they went beyond that when reaching the middle of the manga or so.


Moreover, we get to see how feelings developed between the two protagonists. It doesn't seem forced nor dragging on too long. They ended up falling in love with one another because they spent time with each other, discovered what the other likes or dislikes.
Sounds familiar? Yep, you probably got yourself a significant other the same way (you or an acquaintance, you don't need to have someone in your life if you don't want to, you're fabulous just the way you are).
And I can't tell how refreshing it is to just see two individuals creating something real and not jumping into a relationship out of nowhere.

And while we're at it, let's discuss their relationship, shall we?
At the beginning of the story, Kurihara is withdrawn, pressured, and bitter. Throughout the manga, Kawase manages to break his shell. Thanks to him, Kurihara starts to open up more and tries to fix the issues leading to the stress he suffers from. But Kurihara isn't a pretty princess to save, and he also helps Kawase in his struggles. And the issues they're facing, even if they are quite generic, are highly relatable for anyone who's spent some time at school.

Healthy relationship? Check. A relationship where they boost one another to be a better version of themselves? Sounds lovely.


This is why I love this manga so much: it depicts a love story in a very realistic yet wholesome and heartwarming way.

And to top it all, you have top-tier drawings: the lines are clean and distinct but still have that bit of roughness. The art is pretty detailed, the faces the author draws are very expressive. And as if it wasn't already enough, the breakdowns (crucial point to take into account! especially in a medium such as manga) are also expressive and original. The reader's experience is enjoyable, as the panels are organized in a way where it flows gently, just like the story.

Are you looking for an adorable love story between highschoolers that is different from the others? In a mood for some fluff? No idea how to start the yaoi genre? Want me to stop sounding like an effing ad? Then say no more! Mihanada Pectolite is just for you!

(*) Sex is depicted very lightly in this manga, towards the end in a single scene. Iit's consensual and not that graphic, so it's suitable for ages 16 and up/people who don't want to see a lot of very graphic sex scenes.


Thanks for reading!!



* You can click on "overall rating" to see how I rated each subcategory!
** This is my first review on MAL, so bear with me :)