Doubt!!

“Oh I’m getting an erection. Is it touching your back?”

I laughed; sorry, but that up there is funny, the kind of humor you find in Doubt!! You have to appreciate honest truths, even creepy ones.

Having been an ugly duckling her whole life and tired of people not noticing her positively, Ai decides, ‘enough is enough.’ During one summer, she transforms herself from a nerd into a princess. With a lot of effort, she looks completely different, and her new school will bring forth her “new and improved” life. Everything seems to be going according to plan, and everyone loves her. Ai has her eye on the school’s most popular guy and top player. It turns out that on the inside, she is still the inexperienced girl she has always been, especially when it comes to guys.

The story is simple and typical, so average you see it everywhere (TV counts). A girl decides to change herself because people were hating on her. She changes herself and goes to a new school to start over, and people love her there. Immediately getting the attention of the school’s top guys and best friends, So’ (that’s his name) and Yuichiro. Good thing she’s pretty now; otherwise, all that stress of getting So' to fall in love with her would make her really scary if she were her plain old self. The lesson is simple here: you want something, go get it! Not meaning sex, which is talked about in this manga a lot too. The “it” was more metaphorical for all your wishes and desires (could include sex if you want). A girl's struggle to being accepted and dealing with a promiscuous guy and all his psychotic (non-medicated) exes (yes, that’s plural, remember that if you start reading this one). And try not to dwell on the message that unless you're pretty or beautiful, your life won't amount to much and no one will love you because then you'll really dislike it.

This is the part we thank all those side characters for lifting the dead carcass that some manga have potential of being and giving it LOL moments to deviate from the fact that the lead characters are not lead material at first and for a while later. Mouthful there.

“A cat fight is about to commence… a rivalry so intense that its heat will scorch the Earth!” (very anticlimactic, I mean dramatic)

To start off, you have Ai, who is a bucket of crazy. If crazy were to take human form, it would lie on her shoulders and give her directions. Everywhere.

She wanted what she didn’t have when she was plain, now when she’s pretty, she’s still herself and a little bit like the other girls she disliked. Her development in this story was that she cared enough about wanting to change her life that she changed her outer self in order to achieve it, to become stronger (to get laid). I’d say she got confidence, but it was more of self-assurance that she grew into. I grew to like her more towards the end due to standing up for herself and not letting someone under the pretext of love take advantage of her.

Mina is Ai’s best and only friend in this manga. And if Ai has the crazy, Mina feeds the weird. She’s in love with Yuichiro, as it happens he loves Ai, which is obvious to everyone but Ai. Instead of hating her friend for that, it is represented in a comical way that is almost (and yet completely) unrealistic. She is a rare breed that one. Mina is herself and is just there for the purpose of providing advice (not good one most of the times) and comical occurrences which extend the plot and manga length.

Yuichiro and So, the unlikely pair that are as different as night and day and yet as alike as water and ice. Always curious why they do that in manga. Make two guys who are almost identical, different in personality, and make them both like the heroine. I think it’s just to see which one she picks. Trying out the “good guys finish last.” saying.

Yuichiro is the serious and smarter version of whore-ish So’, who has girls eating out of his hands, and from his character, you assume that he lost his virginity in middle school to his teacher. Yeah, that guy. Yuichiro is the friend we all want to have and sometimes take for granted until he isn’t there anymore. His character is consistent and never-changing in his side role. Which is a shame because he has spunk when it counts, and I was rooting for him.

So’ is a player and the love interest of Ai. He comes off as blasé in his attitude but you can tell that there’s more to him, hopefully. Thank you for that if not he would have been a doozy, albeit a good-looking one. His character develops more as the story progresses and we learn more about him, more than any other character, and we realize that no, there wasn’t more to him and he’s kind of an a-hole.

What bothered me to the point of dropping it (I couldn’t do it though, I “already drank the poison, might as well lick the plate…”) was that we know nothing about Ai other than she was an ugly duckling before her transformation and she's superficial enough to know that superficiality matters.

The story dwells all this time trying to develop a relationship we already know how it’ll end but doesn’t give the side characters which have a better personality any development. It is all about Ai and So’. All the time. Even things that happened where left hanging as if the mangaka forgot to resolve them and drops another new character in before resolving the last issue.

Every chapter ends with a narration to make you want to read the next one, but it comes off as a cheesy attempt to a cliffhanger because the actual scenes weren’t cliffhanger-ry enough. That being the case, it’s the same narration that makes the manga interesting throughout the story. It’s like being inside the mind of the mind, I just made it sound cooler than how it is…

The art was nice in the facial at a glance. Then you start noticing little things like a bubble in the eye drawings that make it seem like the characters are either crying or have a loose contact. When the characters were dressed for school or even outerwear, the drawing was average. But during summer scenes and with more revealing clothes, it was clumsy. The lines were lumpy and not straight, and it was just overall awkward. All in all, it was average except for some “Pretty” moments that you get used to.

Overall, a nice, entertaining read with weird humor. If I had to explain better, this would be a summer read. Light and fluffy where serious moments get squashed by weird faces/responses and a "bad" message (the being pretty thing). It’s a shame too because the characters aren’t bad at all and it could have been sort of awesome (Strobe Edge!). I’m still wondering why the title Doubt!!:

Doubt!! Any of them would read their own manga?

Doubt!! In the name of love…?

Doubt!! You’d ever scream the word doubt unless it’s a title of a manga and the word is followed by not one but two unnecessary exclamation points?

“Life is all or nothing. Take it or lose it. Land safely or fall flat…”

First off, let me just caution you that the plot is EXTREMELY superficial and 'phony.' Our main character starts as a nerdy, unattractive, overweight girl. Due to various reasons (explained in the manga), she opts to attend a high school where none of her junior high acquaintances are present, aiming to transform from 'plain Jane' to 'hot stuff.' Here, she falls for the main hero, who isn't the sharpest tool in the shed but 'who cares, he's hot.' Thus begins the journey into superficiality.

I initially enjoyed the manga because Ai, our heroine, was feisty and could 'fight,' verbally speaking. However, as the story progressed, it increasingly grated on my nerves. The message conveyed is that appearance trumps all, and personality doesn't matter if you're attractive enough to make guys fall madly in love with you. It subtly suggests that ugliness equates to silence and lack of confidence, as Ai remarks, "How can she (an ugly girl) have so much confidence looking like THAT?!" I found this appalling. Additionally, when our hero states, "It's true, I'd rather date a pretty girl over an ugly one regardless of personality, and you know it. That's why you wanted to become pretty, right?"

Besides these issues, the artwork is fairly well-drawn, which was the sole reason I continued reading, unfortunately. If you don't take manga and its underlying messages seriously, then I recommend giving it a read. Also, if you're seeking a good laugh, this manga fits the bill.

Yeah, this manga is really awful. I picked up a few volumes from a Book Off, attracted by the trendy cover art, but was appalled by the content inside. The messages in this manga are terrible. The characters are shallow and repulsive, except for Yuichiro (the second male lead), who deserved the main girl if she wasn't so shallow like everyone else. All they talk about is sex, and in the grossest way possible.

The male lead is probably the worst character, not counting the creepy, annoying psycho 30-something teacher competing with the main girl for Sou's affection. He is super creepy and gross with how he hits on the main girl, and when he's not being creepy, he's emotionally abusive and a gross jerk.

The art is decent sometimes, but the artist has unique style quirks that sometimes make the characters look ugly (I'm actually being very generous here). This makes it hard to believe that the main girl and guy are supposed to be attractive. I ended up taking a pen and trying to improve the art myself because it bothered me so much (I would never normally do this, but I only spent 3 dollars on each volume...).

I know I sound repetitive, but "gross" is really the best way I can describe this manga. It's an interesting read for a couple of volumes as a spectacle at least, and so you can appreciate actually good manga by comparison. 10/10 would read again.

JK 2/10

At first, I really enjoyed this series. I thought the protagonist had a very strong personality and fought until the end, and most of the time didn't take crap from anyone. However, there were many aspects that made me dislike her. This series is about a girl who was a geek before she entered high school, where she gave herself a makeover and became beautiful. I found this very superficial. It seemed like she tried too hard to become beautiful, and I felt she was inauthentic—trying way too hard. The series portrays her as someone who merely puts on a "beauty" disguise.

In the story, she falls in love with the most handsome guy, who also happens to be a major player. I believe he was quite the manwhore. She only liked him because he was good-looking and was the first to hit on her. Upon seeing her, he rushes over and sticks to her like glue. Throughout the series, it's revealed he has had multiple relationships with other women, including his cousin and women old enough to be his teacher. I thought it was disappointing that she didn't ditch him despite knowing all this. Instead, she decides to fight her "sisters"—his other girlfriends. I hated how obsessed she was with getting a boyfriend and losing her virginity. I was actually rooting for his best friend.

So, basically, if you enjoy a story about a superficial beauty who is pretty desperate but somewhat strong, and who likes a playboy, then this series is for you!

Since I could relate to Ai Maekawa, I found this series particularly enjoyable. (I also experienced a transformation during high school). Its brevity helps the plot progress smoothly without unnecessary filler. The narrative delves deeper than just a tale of a girl seeking popularity; it explores the psychological challenges faced by someone suddenly thrust into the spotlight of high school life (without becoming overly profound). If anything, this series playfully mocks the typical high school social hierarchy. It definitely has several "OMG what?" *burst into laughter* moments. I own all the volumes and frequently re-read them.

I truly enjoyed Doubt!! because it stands out as a unique shoujo manga. It's not a life-altering read and doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes it so refreshing. Having read a lot of romance manga, especially shoujo, I find that the formula can become repetitive. That's why I value these humorous and unique mangas. Keep in mind, it's an older manga, so be prepared for some dated elements.

Regarding the comment about the manga promoting a negative message, I disagree. To me, the manga is very satirical, almost like a commentary on society. Society isn't always pretty and perfect; people often judge you based on your appearance. The manga does push this to an extreme, but I believe it's well-founded and can reflect reality at times. As someone who can relate to Maekawa, I appreciate this unfiltered perspective.

In fact, I found this manga to convey a positive message. I love how unfiltered and strong Maekawa is. She breaks the mold for a typical shoujo female lead. She fights for what she wants, and I ended up really liking her character.

This manga is genuinely fun to read! While the plot may not be the most captivating, the characters are lovable, and the dialogue is hilarious. I found myself enjoying the manga despite its shortcomings. If you're looking for a good laugh and something that will make you smile, definitely give it a try.

This is one of those manga series that the more you read and ponder over, the less appealing it becomes. Honestly, my initial interest was solely due to the main female protagonist, Ai, who I found quite attractive, mostly because of her chest. ^_^

Let me break it down for you.

Story: 5
The beginning was strong, in my opinion. I enjoyed how Ai transformed from a plain girl to a beautiful young lady. I loved it all the way to the end. However, after revisiting it, I realized just how shallow and ridiculous the plot really is. But credit to Izumi-sensei for cleverly masking it with some strategically placed cleavage scenes.

Art: 9
I genuinely liked the art style. It was unique, and that's about all I can say since I'm not great at critiquing artwork. That said, I did appreciate the shading on the chest areas. Yes, I’m adding a random comment about breasts at the end of each paragraph.

Character: 6
Sou is a real jerk. He wouldn't care if Ai fell off a cliff and ended up in the hospital forever; he'd just move on and find another girlfriend. After all, he’s the epitome of a bishonen, right? That's what girls are into these days, isn't it?
Ai lacks self-confidence, which is supposed to be the central theme, but come on! At least make her somewhat interesting.
Yuichiro stands out a bit. He’s funny and somewhat engaging. True, as a supporting character, he has less personality than Sou, which only makes the series worse.
Mina might be my favorite character here. Despite not being hot enough to be my waifu and occasionally being a bit bitchy and creepy, she has a likable personality compared to Sou, and isn’t just a vapid character whose sole purpose is to doubt herself and have big boobs.

Enjoyment: 7
To be honest, I did enjoy this manga. If I were to read it now, I probably wouldn’t like it as much, but I had fun the first time around. Even though the plot was dumb, Izumi-sensei managed to keep me interested long enough by distracting me. Also, I enjoyed seeing the boob shots.

Overall: 6
Two years ago, I might have given this a 10. But after two years of reflection (okay, I made up my mind after a week, I just didn’t get around to posting a review), I’ve decided this manga definitely isn’t the best I've read. Plus, the boob shots only lasted for one panel somewhere in volume 4 (I don’t know the exact page, and I need to go, so I can’t check).

I really wish I could say I enjoyed this series, but I can't. The artwork was commendable, and the supporting characters were likable, yet the overall experience left much to be desired. The plot felt incredibly superficial and conveyed a highly negative message to its intended audience. The storyline seemed to suggest that for a girl to make friends or get a boyfriend, she must alter not only her appearance to fit societal standards of beauty but also completely change her personality. It propagated the idea that overweight individuals are doomed to remain single because "nobody will love them solely for their personality—it's just a fantasy." Moreover, it perpetuated the stereotype that introverted, geeky people will always be bullied and unloved.

This narrative merely reinforces the damaging belief that beauty is skin-deep, rooted solely in external appearances. Such a story should never have been translated and distributed in the US, as it has the potential to severely undermine teenagers' self-esteem and reinforce harmful stereotypes about individuals. Another major issue I had was with the protagonist's overly forgiving nature and unrealistic actions. She was inexplicably okay with her boyfriend dating two other women simultaneously—an attitude no real girl would ever adopt. Instead of ending the relationship, she fought against the other two girls to win him over. She invested an excessive amount of effort into maintaining the relationship, receiving nothing comparable in return. He clearly didn't care for her, yet she remained in the relationship regardless.

The only redeeming aspects of the series were the protagonist’s friend and her boyfriend's friend. Unfortunately, even they weren't enough to salvage the series. Avoid this series at all costs unless you're particularly fond of stories featuring selfish boyfriends and shallow messages.