Takeya's life takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself responsible for Ren, who is determined to learn everything about human culture. From everyday interactions to more complex social norms, Ren's innocent curiosity and endearing naivety lead to a series of humorous and heartwarming moments. Together, they explore the intricacies of human behavior while forming an unbreakable bond.
As Ren continues her "home-stay," she becomes more than just a student of Earth's ways; she becomes a beloved member of Takeya's household and community. Her presence brings a fresh perspective on what it means to be human, challenging preconceived notions and fostering a deeper understanding between the DearS and their new neighbors. The story unfolds with laughter, learning, and a touch of romance, making their adventure both memorable and enlightening.
As with many others, I initially watched the Anime before diving into the Manga. Despite noticing several aspects of the Anime that didn't quite sit right with me, my affection for the main character Ren compelled me to read the entire Manga from start to finish for the first time ever. This in itself is quite unusual for me. Many argue that this work is a blatant rip-off of Chobits, but I can only partially agree. While there are some similarities, the development and execution are distinct. The characters and their interactions feel unique enough to stand apart from most in this genre. Having said that, I am someone who appreciates both Chobits and DearS.
Story - 9: It might seem hard to believe, but I genuinely love this story. There's something about the "Boy meets Girl" trope that just resonates with me, even if I can't pinpoint exactly why. However, this story stands out. Much like Toradora!, it gradually won me over. It kept pulling me in, leaving breadcrumbs of intrigue that led me deeper into its narrative. By the end, I was emotionally overwhelmed, unsure of how to process everything.
Art - 9: Some people criticize the art for being inconsistent, but I find those inconsistencies part of its charm. The chibi-style doodles add humor and lighten the mood, contrasting nicely with the more serious moments. The character designs and backgrounds were captivating, drawing me further into the world of the Manga. It’s simply wonderful.
Characters - 10: I understand that many will disagree because they see similarities to older series. But what I adore is the way the characters evolve and sometimes regress at different stages. Their actions influence not only themselves but also those around them. They all learn and grow, though some undergo more significant transformations due to the support of other characters. Not to mention Ren's love for Melon Bread, which adds an extra layer of humor that I can't help but enjoy.
Enjoyment - 10: I absolutely love this Manga. It's the first series I've ever read cover-to-cover purely because it captivated me so thoroughly. Previous attempts with other series never worked because I couldn’t get invested enough in the characters or the story. Peach-Pit did a magnificent job here, and I'm very pleased with the ending. While I wish there were maybe two more chapters as specials to show post-ending developments, I’m completely satisfied without them.
Overall - 9: While not every aspect warrants a perfect score, this review should clearly convey how much I value this series. The imperfections don’t detract from its overall brilliance.
Recommendation - Highly recommended, approach it with an open mind and don't give up if things don't go as expected early on. Give it a chance, have faith, and try to reach at least halfway through. However, I strongly advise against watching the Anime. It’s poorly executed and does a disservice to this wonderful piece of art.
I hereby entitle this manga: "Mixed Feelings Galore!"
*Spoilers ahead*
Story-
"Love will save the universe!" is undoubtedly one of the most ridiculous lines in this manga, and certainly not the last. The story begins simply, with excruciatingly slow pacing. The Dears arrive on Earth due to their ship crashing, and they are immediately welcomed through various exchange programs without hesitation. We follow Ren, a "defect" Dear, through her misadventures with her chosen "master," Takeya. For the first six volumes, there isn't much conflict or an overarching threat that needs addressing. It's mainly "What is...love?" and "Oops! Did I just touch a boob?" - which gets old quickly. More characters are introduced throughout the series (which I'll get to later) adding some action and interest, but some become annoying fast. However, basically everything happens in the last seven or so chapters. By everything, I mean rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Initially, I found myself rushing through the chapters to finish it because, while I thought Miu and Takeya had better chemistry and genuine affection between them, it was obvious Ren and Takeya would end up together. Suddenly, I was rereading things because everything moved so fast. What happened to Takeya’s parents? What’s the deal with his dad? What about this space-war-thing? None of these questions were answered, which is downright frustrating. All this time spent doing nothing, then cramming half a story into a few chapters. I’ve never read anything with such terrible pacing. Feeling generous, I’ll give it a 5/10.
Art-
Classic Peach-pit. Big eyes, big boobs, and the sharpest chins around. All jokes aside, some pages were absolutely stunning. For the most part, the backgrounds are well developed, appreciated. I can remember locations and character designs easily, and love the individuality of the Dears’ costumes. Loved the over-the-top emotions, and the chibi panels were cute. Many agree the art is probably the most enjoyable part of this series. Liked it a lot, so 8/10.
Character-
I hated Takeya. With a seething, burning, inferno-like passion. He treated everyone like crap, even when they tried being nice. He was more tolerable in the last two volumes, but otherwise, he was a total jerk to Ren. Granted, I’d be annoyed at her too, but he has no concern for anyone’s feelings. Not some tsundere thing where the character loves someone and hides it by acting tough. He’s just an ass. Couldn’t stand him and wanted him put in his place, think Nekoneko did something like that in the last volume. Not enough though. As for Ren, I thought she was really sweet and honestly wanted the best for her. However, some dynamics bothered me after a while because they brought up the same things repeatedly. She likes melon bread. Devoted to Takeya being her master. Doesn’t know clothes. These were brought up so much I got sick of them. Liked Miu and Nekoneko though, as they were likable and I sympathize with them. Many more characters but this section is long enough already. 6/10 because I genuinely like some characters but hate others.
Enjoyment-
5/10. Hoped and hoped this manga would improve, something interesting would happen. Well, sort of did but not my point. My point is many things I enjoyed, like the art, general concept, and some characters, but so many things I hated that I can’t see myself returning to this series soon. Read it on a whim, glad it’s over. Didn’t really hate it, but wasn’t that good either.
Overall, feeling generous, so 6/10. Points for interesting concept and unique characters, loved the art, and moments made me laugh out loud. Think Peach-pit made better series than this, so only read if REALLY curious or like Peach-pit generally. If not, skip it.
Tl;dr: Boring story (until rushed ending), good art, characters from likable to intolerable. Read if you like Peach-pit or premise, skip if not.
Alright. Let's make this quick
Story: 5
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DearS is an obvious Chobits knockoff from the very beginning. Luckily, it doesn't remain a blatant copy forever. Although it kicks off with typical harem antics and an abundance of fanservice, it eventually carves out its own identity. However, everything happens at breakneck speed. Characters are introduced every two or three chapters for a while, and many don’t stick around, suggesting that Peach-Pit struggled to keep the story going. This makes it feel more like a rushed project than a carefully crafted narrative, and the clichéd finale lacks enthusiasm, making it hard to care about the characters' fates.
Art: 3
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When Peach-Pit aims to make the girls look pretty, they hit the mark spectacularly. But this seems to exhaust them, as most of the manga alternates between decent artwork and amateurish doodles that would make even a novice How-To-Draw-Manga artist envious of how such poor skills could earn a paycheck.
Character: 4
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As mentioned earlier, midway through the manga, new characters flood in one after another. Consequently, characters who should receive development rarely do. Some might get an entire chapter dedicated to them if they're lucky. The manga primarily focuses on Ren, Takeya, and Miu, which becomes evident. Unfortunately, their character developments are the most cliched. There are some original twists in Ren’s arc towards the end, but unless you're new to the harem ecchi genre, it’s nothing groundbreaking.
Enjoyment: 7
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Despite everything, it's fun. Really fun. Though it follows all the usual tropes and occasionally feels desperate to keep going, Peach-Pit infuses each panel with commendable passion, and it shows. I was never truly bored reading this, but nor was I amazed. It's humorous without being laugh-out-loud funny, cute and sweet without being overly saccharine, and ecchi without needing shrink-wrap. It demonstrates what effort can achieve even in a subpar work.
Being Peach-Pit's first creation, it's a solid effort and a promising sign of better things to come from them. Overall, DearS gets a 5/10.
This manga closely resembles Chobits, but with a magical girl as the female protagonist. She has an angelic face, a stunning figure, and is willing to do anything for the self-centered male lead who couldn't care less about her. The plot is predictable from the outset. While I appreciate the simplicity of the drawings used for comedic effect, the mangaka's overuse of this style becomes grating. It seems to be a recurring theme in all the works by this artist that I've encountered so far. Reading it becomes a chore rather than a pleasure. Not worth your time.
Let's start by saying that I watched the anime, and after that, I wanted to know how the story ended, so I delved into the manga, and it was totally worth it. Honestly, I don't understand why there's so much hate towards this particular series; I found it quite enjoyable.
Story: 6
Here we go again.
A guy meets a strange girl.
She turns out to be an alien.
They are connected through some sort of ceremony, and then cute girls appear all around this seemingly ordinary guy.
The typical harem-ecchi-comedy plotline.
Except, this one focuses on the mysteries surrounding a species of submissive slaves, the DearS, and the mythical "gift" that allows one of them to choose their master.
I gave it a 6 because the story drags itself through the volumes, only to climax suddenly - though with a great ending - in just two or three volumes.
Art: 7
Not much to say here; I love it, especially the chibi skits that pop up frequently throughout the manga.
Characters: 7
You get to see all the characters grow. As the manga takes its time to develop, you end up getting attached to all of them. In a way, you can see how the DearS gradually "humanize" themselves while interacting with humans.
Overall: 7
It's a light manga filled with funny moments that's perfect for when you want to relax and read a light-hearted story with a touch of ecchiness.
This is the epitome of "I'd probably be rating this much lower if I didn't have some weird nostalgia for it" because this was one of the first manga I read as a kid. It has a strangely charming art style and design elements that are really unique, making it enjoyable to look at. However, the story and characters themselves aren't very good. Any promising premises don't fully develop, and it never reaches its potential.
That said, I still have a strange fondness for it. It's a mess, but it's also dated in a way that makes it feel like a quirky little time capsule. I wouldn't recommend it, but I also wouldn't throw myself in front of a bullet to tell you not to read it. There's something oddly endearing about it, even if it doesn't quite hit the mark in terms of storytelling or character development.