Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 15, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2017

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Yes.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins discover that cross-dressing as each other leads to trouble and true love!

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

The Tohoku earthquake devastated Sendai and the surrounding region, but life must go on. Time is passing, recovery is ongoing, and Megumu and Mitsuru are building their new lives. But Megumu struggles with the idea that healing from tragedy must mean forgetting. Can she find a way to use her new success as a manga artist to honor all that was lost?

Review:

Mego and Aoi finally get married. And they have kids, and Mitsuru and Azusa get married, and Shino and her boyfriend get married. Mego finally gets to write a book with Shino, and of course it's based on her and Aoi.

I actually don't mind most of this, and it fits the story. I just don't care for these characters. It's all very cheesy and cliché and expected. Blech.

After that, we get to see a little one-shot about a boy band, when one of the members bumps into a casual fan in town. I didn't mind this story, but again, it was very cheesy and over-the-top.

I just don't care for this author, I don't think. The art is okay most of the time, but the humor is not for me, and the romance is way too childish and exaggerated.

This series was just not my kind.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 14, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2017

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Yes.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 13. 15.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins discover that cross-dressing as each other leads to trouble and true love!

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

The earthquake is over, but the aftermath is still devastating the region. Mitsuru and Azusa try to put the power of the Tokugawa Group to good use while others, including Megumu and her mom, rush to Sendai to look for their missing loved ones. Megumu wants to hold on to hope, but Aoi still isn’t picking up his phone…

Review:

All but the last chapter is focused on Megumu and Aoi. The reunion happens pretty fast, and then we get to see what actually happened during the tsunami. After that, Aoi gets to meet his little half-brother, and accept what happened with his mother and what she did. It's very emotional for all of them. It is nice to see Aoi's family grow, though.

At one point, there's this super cheesy moment where Mitsuru and Azusa take control at Azusa's father's business, because he flounders a moment. Just bleh.

After that, we see Mitsuru and Azusa helping out with the wreckage. I do admit that I like seeing the realistic aspect of the aftermath, with people helping with all the horror. Mitsuru and Azusa get to help an older lady clean up her home. Mitsuru and Megumu's dad is also away while helping with everything, getting people to safety and helping clean up. It's a sweet scene when he gets to return home to their mother.

Megumu and Aoi also get officially married, though they're waiting to do the actual ceremony. This is not surprising to anyone, I'm sure. By the end of the volume it seems like everything is almost done wrapping up. The next and final one will probably be all over-done happy endings.

 A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 13, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2017

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Some/Yes.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 12. 14.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins discover that cross-dressing as each other leads to trouble and true love!

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Having a long-distance relationship isn’t the easiest thing for Megumu and Aoi, but after a romantic evening and a standoff with her parents, their relationship is stronger than ever. And now that Mitsuru finally has a life goal (to beat Azusa’s other fiancé in the national pre-exams and win her hand), he’s pouring all his fierce energy into securing their future. But despite how promising their lives seem, the twins are having ominous dreams. Are the nightmares just a symptom of stress, or is something more prophetic going on…?

Review:

We see the conclusion to when Megumu and Aoi have sex. They also get to declare their intentions to marry. On the other side of the story, we see the results from Mitsuru's tests, and the result of Azusa deciding to stand up to her father on his terms. Azusa's decision makes sense to me, though I still don't really care about them.

In the latter half of the volume, we get a real life event. I was a little surprised by the decision to include the tsunami, and at first I was bothered by it. But reading the authors' reasoning at the end of the volume, I'm okay with it. I'm wondering where it's heading next, though I can't really imagine a sad ending for this series.

I really don't care for this series at this point. I don't care for the humor, and all the jumping to marriage plots drive me crazy. It's cheesy and dumb, even. But the twist at the end has me a little curious.

Either way, it looks like I'll be sticking around to the end.

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 12, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2017

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 11. 13.

Goodreads Synopsis:

  

The Kobayashi twins discover that cross-dressing as each other leads to trouble and true love!

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Aoi has started college in Sendai, the place where Megumu’s parents met and got engaged. And while he and Megumu don’t relish a long-distance relationship, they are looking forward to spending time together in such a meaningful place. But romance isn’t the only thing to be found in Sendai—the mother who abandoned Aoi and his sister Shino lives there too!

Review:

Both couples seem to be getting further in their relationships.

Mitsuru and Azusa are trying to prove their relationship and stop Azusa's father from forcing her into an unhappy marriage. Azusa gets angry, and Mitsuru makes a bet that he can prove he's smarter than her suitor. I do commend how hard Mitsuru is working to prove himself, but at the same time, I want to see Azusa fight and take charge. Given her personality, I think that's more fitting. It does mean a lot to her to see how hard Mitsuru is trying, though.

At the same time, Megumu and Aoi are working through their long-distance. I do think it's weird how much time we skip, and how they don't even seem to notice that months go by. That's weird—but it does make sense, after Aoi proves there's no other girl for him. It is a bit too cheesy, and too fast, though. A lot of the point-proving and time skipping seems to also skip development, or at least seem rushed. Like how quickly Aoi wins over Megumu's father. Also—the way Megumu and Aoi confess their intentions on the phone at the end? So weird. Who does that? Seriously, why?

There's a lot of hinting at darkness coming, and I'm a little interested to see what it is. Megumu and Mitsuru freak out over a shared dream, though I think it has to do with Aoi's mother? We'll see, I suppose.

Oh, and it does get a bit more steamy in this volume. It doesn't actually show anything, but both couples get more intimate, particularly Megumu and Aoi.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 11, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2017

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 10. 12.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins discover that cross-dressing as each other leads to trouble and true love!

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Azusa Tokugawa was a horrible bully until Mitsuru Kobayashi helped her tame her rage. Now her tender feelings for him have left her vulnerable to the turmoil in her parents’ crumbling relationship. Will the Kobayashis’ offer of safe harbor be enough to give her the strength to stand against her father’s plans for her?

Review: 

Firstly, we get to see what happens between Azusa and her parents, and thus between Azusa and Mitsuru. We get to see here how great a bride she could be for Mitsuru. Near the end of the plot, Azusa moves away for a while, and there's a period when Mitsuru doesn't hear from her for months. Then she shows up, and there's going to be Drama, because her parents are loveless and strict and care about the Family Name.

I honestly don't care for either of these characters. Not at all, really.

For pretty much a chapter, we focus on Megumu and Aoi. Aoi is going away for college, and so they're going to be long distance. There's a very sweet, intense goodbye between them, and apparently things might get sexual in the next volume. We also get to see that Megumu is possibly getting further along in her manga-making goals.

Bleh. I'm not a huge fan of this series; it has some ups and downs. But apparently I'm in this till the end.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 10, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: December 2016

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 9. 11.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins discover that cross-dressing as each other leads to trouble and true love!

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Uesugi has been making plenty of enemies since coming to town, and a group of them have kidnapped Megumu as part of their revenge. Aoi and Uesugi put aside their differences in order to team up to rescue her, but in the ensuing battle Aoi loses his eye patch! Can Megumu convince him that his hidden wounds won’t scare her away, or will the trauma of his past be the end of their future?

Review:

There's a very emotional scene between Aoi and Meguro here, when she sees his scar and gets a real look at him. It should be heartwarming, I guess. Instead, it's too over the top most of the time—all those declarations are too much. Then the humor placed in to lower the seriousness just ruins it all around.

We also get a new revelation of Azusa's family, including a possibly two-faced mother and surprise sister who we've known all along. Honestly, I just don't really care for Azusa. Mitsuru isn't all that great, either.

Meh. Still just okay with this series, very up and down. Kind of more annoying at times than it should be.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 9, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: October 2016

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Very light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 8. 10.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins discover that cross-dressing as each other leads to trouble and true love!

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Megumu manages to keep Aoi and Uesugi from brawling, but when they air their old grievances, she ends up learning more than she expected about Aoi’s past. Will this new information strengthen her relationship with Aoi or just drive a bigger wedge between them?!

Review:

Meh. Meh meh meh.

In this volume, there's more drama caused by Uesugi. And we finally get to see what is actually under Aoi's eyepatch, and why he's so afraid of touching women. He even freaks out on Megumu at one point, as he's being pushed and contemplating telling her what really happened to him.

There's also some moments between Mitsuru and Azusa, mostly of Mitsuru realizes what Azusa has been hinting at this entire time. Also, her fantastic way of narcissistic-ally confessing while also telling him that he's going to fall in love with her so hard that he'll be the one begging.

But mostly there's Megumu and Uesugi and Aoi. I think it's mostly the over-ly cheesy moments, the unnecessarily embarrassing scenes, mixed with all of those chibi images and dumb faces for humor. It all just seems too childish to me, while at the same time trying to be new and creative and hilariously cute. It's too much, too badly done.

For one thing, though, I'm sure I would have enjoyed this more when I was younger. So I'm sure actual high-schoolers would enjoy this a lot more than I am now.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 8, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: August 2016

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 7. 9.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Chiharu Uesgui’s devious ploy to use Megumu against Aoi has only brought the lovebirds closer together. And it’s also given Megumu an intriguing glimpse into Uesugi’s past with her boyfriend. Can she figure out how their friendship went sour before Uesugi tries something even worse?!

Review:

The entire plot line with Uesugi is just bad, in my opinion. It's trying to be a new, cuter take on the dramatic romance (like Peach Girl, for instance). And sometimes it works.

Uesugi tries to take advantage of Megumu, to prove that Aoi is weak, and instead Megumu turns it back on him with a big speech. It's supposedly powerful, I guess.

There's also a lot of plot movement with Azusa and Mitsuru. Mitsuru is on the hunt to find her stalker, and they join together to fight them. Then the cliffhanger goes back to Uesugi making a move on Megumu.

Meh. That's what I feel for this series. Meh.

A review copy was provided by the publisher, VIZ Media, for an honest review. Thank you so, so much!

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 7, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: June 2016

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 6. 8.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Megumu has once again switched places with her brother, just in time to encounter Akechi’s newest student—the angry guy she met in the park! Chiharu Uesugi knows something about Aoi’s past, and seems determined to take him down. Megumu wants to protect her boyfriend, but will she be able to foil whatever nefarious plan Uesugi has cooked up when he blackmails her into a date?!

Review:

So. This volume went downhill for me.

Mego is so determined to protect Aoi, that when Uesugi blackmails her to go on a date with him, she falls for it. I do have to give her props, in that she does what she can to be unappealing and to annoy him, even if it is superficial. She even challenges him to a fight.

I also appreciate that, even if it super annoys me that he immediately forced her to change and look pretty, there isn't any real cheating here. Mego is still devoted to Aoi at all times, even endangering herself to save his gift. That was still dumb of her, but okay. Then there's the cliffhanger, and Uesugi's cruel intentions, though I'm doubtful of his real intentions actually being bad.

There were some dumb decisions in this volume, and it definitely wasn't a favorite for me. Still reading.

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 6, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: April 2016

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: Light.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 5. 7.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Megumu is considering a career as a manga artist, but as Mitsuru so helpfully points out, her drawing skills could use a lot of improvement. That doesn’t dim her enthusiasm, and she vows to practice drawing every day. But her first sketching session in a park is interrupted by an intense young man who goes ballistic when he sees the portrait of Aoi in her sketchbook! Who is this stranger, and why does he want to destroy her boyfriend?!

Review:

I don't love this series. I just don't.

There's some real cuteness between Mego and Aoi in the beginning. We get a glimpse of Mitsuru and Azusa's relationship, and how it's slowly growing for each of them. Azusa is getting bullied, and Misturu steps in protectively, at the same time that Mego wants to be there to protect Aoi, so they switch again.

The major point here, though, is that there's a new character. And he has a vendetta against Aoi. He pursues Mego at first, to get to Aoi, and she doesn't take that quite so well.

There's good and bad with this series. It is still ringing at high and low moments in every volume, just enough that I don't quite mind reading more but I'm not loving it. I just want it to get better.

Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 5, by Go Ikeyamada

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Shojo Beat (VIZ Media)

Release Date: February 2016

Volumes: 15.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 4. 6.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Kobayashi twins, Megumu and Mitsuru, were named after historical figures, but only Megumu has grown up with a taste for history. So when Mitsuru is in danger of losing his weekends to extra history classes, he convinces his sister to swap clothes with him and ace his tests! After all, how hard can it be for them to play each other?

Things between Megumu and Aoi couldn’t be better! They’re even managing to navigate Aoi’s need to stay two feet away from women, and they go on some cute dates. But her twin brother Mitsuru’s love life isn’t going as smoothly. He’s fallen head over heels for Aoi’s sister Shino, but it looks like Shino’s heart belongs to someone else. Mitsuru’s used to fighting, but will he figure out how to fight for love?!

Review:

We get to see Shino’s romance in this volume. Which just pushes forward the fact that Mitsuru really has no chance with her. She’s in love with someone else, and he’s a sweet guy who likes her back.

We get to see more cuteness between Megumu and Aoi. I am a fan of them and think they are quite adorable. They’re growing closer, emotionally and physically, and being very lovey-dovey with each other. It is adorable.

Next I can tell we’re going to see a real romance start to form between Mitsuru and Azusa. I think that one will be a bit more difficult, but I’m sure it’ll be funny to watch, and cute in the end.

I’m mostly just okay with this series. I don’t love it, I don’t hate it. I don’t really care much for the characters. At times I think they’re adorable, other times I find them and the writing very annoying. It goes back and forth so much I don’t know what to think anymore.

If I keep going with this series, it’ll be slowly, and only when I get the chance.