Junai Tokkou Taichou!

From reading the synopsis, you might think this manga sounds really dull or something. It's actually quite the opposite.

In terms of the story, it's pretty original. Definitely not your typical shoujo, as both the guy and the girl (Chiemi and Akifumi) are portrayed as genuinely dangerous characters. The plot is unpredictable and flows smoothly. The pacing is excellent. This manga will make you burst out laughing a lot. And the sweet moments aren't corny like in other shoujo titles. Everything is executed very well.

The art is visually appealing. I usually have high standards for manga artwork because if the art isn’t appealing and the plot doesn’t seem exciting, I don’t even feel like reading it. The author really knows how to illustrate funny moments - it’s not too choppy and fits perfectly.

The characters, as I mentioned, make it different from your typical shoujo. Chiemi can be a dangerous person who overreacts a lot but still has a sweet side. Akifumi, the school rebel, really changes because of Chiemi. You might see him as the typical bad boy, but he genuinely cares about Chiemi, and sometimes he brings up the sweetest things that make all the problems go away.

This manga is exceptionally enjoyable. It's definitely a page-turner with HILARIOUS moments. There's more comedy than romance, but the romance is still there, of course.

Overall, I highly recommend this manga for anyone looking for a good romantic comedy.

Absolutely disappointing.

(Please only read this review if you have read the entire manga as this little essay of mine is full of spoilers.)

I am aware that this is an extremely abrupt and harsh beginning, but that's how Junai Tokkou Taichou! made me feel.

To begin with, the story is simply all over the place. A story that could have had so much potential ended up being a total chaos because it was taken in the wrong, perhaps worst, direction. I mean, a story about two delinquents falling in love? Sounds good, right? Not really.

The pacing was rather quick, especially at the beginning when Hirata's confession occurred in the very first chapter. There could have been so much room for developing an actual, good base for their "love" - I hesitate calling what is between these two love; it's almost like they completely lack chemistry. I think this is an excellent case of two people who like/love each other but aren't supposed to be together. That's why when [spoiler] Akifumi Hirata broke up with Chiemi Yusa [/spoiler] during the whole Tachibana "arc", I actually felt relieved and fully agreed with poor Akifumi - they just aren't suited for each other. Unfortunately, the author kept forcefully pushing these two back together.

In addition, instead of focusing on Hirata's and Chiemi's relationship, everything just became a foolish chase of a final sex scene (there were at least 3 cockblock scenes by the way, which became super annoying). Is being intimate everything there is to a relationship? Well, for Chiemi Yusa in particular I guess it is - throughout the whole manga that's everything she thinks about, "being intimate with Hirata, kyaa," while pretty much ignoring her boyfriend's actual feelings for her.

Now I understand that they are young and horny, but that doesn't exactly justify all the mistakes Chiemi has made.

Chiemi is a problematic character to begin with, because she falls under the idiotic category of poorly executed shoujo protagonists who just wAnt tO sEe ThE beSt in OtHeR peopLe uwu, she's so kind and thoughtful! Yet Hirata's problems are always the ones that get ignored while Chiemi just happily hangs on to all toxic people who have ruined her relationship *cough* Tachibana.

I have no problem with flawed characters, quite the opposite. However, when Chiemi's actions are portrayed as being right and Hirata's wrong, when Chiemi blames him for the crap she did (and poor Hirata believes her), well, then I do have a problem.

Akifumi Hirata, on the other hand, is literally the embodiment of the ideal boyfriend - handsome, strong, sincere, and hardworking. It just sort of feels like Hirata put much more effort into keeping the relationship alive than Chiemi, which is sad. Truthfully, Hirata deserves someone better.

Another thing that really made me mad was how the whole manga was pretty much just a continuous circle of "OH LOOK a new love rival" even though many of these characters wouldn't even have been necessary/relevant to the story, especially [spoiler]the trap dude who miraculously fell in love with Chiemi at the end[/spoiler].

So was there anything good about Junai Tokkou Taichou? Yeah. I found myself hooked on this manga mainly because of its humor. The comedy in the manga is actually good and not dry like in the majority of shoujos, and some panels made me laugh out loud (especially some of Chiemi's faces hahah).

Another thing I enjoyed was Yukari's and Ohno's little love story (it was more enjoyable than Hirata's and Chiemi's to be honest). It was cute.

And as much as I have given Chiemi and her personality some cruel critique, she actually has a less naive part to her as well, which was absolutely amazing to see. I mean, some of her actions and words were unexpected in a good way, so kudos for that.

Perhaps the biggest plus of this manga was Hirata Akifumi himself. If it weren't for him, I would give this manga a 5, but he's an incredibly good character, at least on the shoujo manga scale.

All in all, Junai Tokkou Taichou! failed to make use of the potential it had and only remains as a fun little manga with a bad storyline.

**Story: 4/10
The plot description displayed immense potential and instantly captivated me. However, the storyline deteriorated from there. Two troubled individuals in a relationship offer many possibilities.
Admittedly, Love Attack! has numerous extremely funny moments that nearly brought tears to my eyes, but the humor and romance weren't enough to make up for the terrible storyline. It started strong but then became silly. You've got a jealous crossdresser, a psycho bishounen, among other things.
The arc with Tachibana and Shigeru felt forced, as if the author was trying too hard to connect with the audience. It vaguely reminded me of the story arc in Mars with Masao Kirishima, except this time it was poorly executed.
The only reason I continued reading was because of the comedy. If you're looking for a funny read and don't care much about the plot, this one's for you.

**Art: 9.5/10
The art was visually pleasing, something I really appreciated. There was a lot of expression and emotion in the artwork, which made funny moments even more hilarious.

**Character: 7/10
Akifumi and Chiemi are unique and similar characters. It's not every day you see a couple like that! In shoujo anime/manga, most couples are opposites. You've got the bad boy and the shy girl, the stupid guy and the smart girl, etc. However, I wished they would show more personality. The only thing I really remembered them for was when Akifumi or Chiemi got jealous. It seemed jealousy was the main driver of the plot.

**Overall: 6/10
This was enjoyable until the second story arc, after which I lost interest. Still, its comedy kept me going, so I finished it. A bit disappointing, given its initial promise. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who enjoys a good storyline.

I was really looking forward to this manga because Girl Got Game, which is by the same author, is one of my all-time favorites. For the initial few chapters, I found it quite enjoyable. It was humorous, had excellent artwork, and the relationship between the main couple developed at a pleasing, steady pace.

However, things took a turn when the homewrecker arcs started popping up. The first instance was alright, even somewhat funny, but then there was another... and yet another. The entire narrative became monotonous. Each time, a new character would appear and attempt to seduce one of the main characters. In response, the other would jump to conclusions about infidelity without actually confirming with their partner, leading to jealousy and misunderstandings.

To make matters worse, the story ends on a cliffhanger. For reasons unknown, the author decided to continue the manga in a different series, and translations for it are nowhere to be found. This left me feeling frustrated and disappointed as a reader.

I didn't expect this to be any good. It's freaking amazing! I nearly fell off my chair a few times because it's just too hilarious. The characters are fantastic, all of them incredibly funny. Even though the plot follows a familiar pattern, every chapter still manages to surprise me. It has quickly become one of my favorite reads. I laughed so hard that if I had been drinking milk, it would have come out of my nose... if that makes any sense... lol

Over time, this became truly exasperating to read.

Initially, I was captivated by the characters and the bond between the two main protagonists. They were wild but undeniably enjoyable. Unfortunately, that's all there is to praise.

The 'plot' of this manga centers purely on romance, yet it utterly fails at it. There's no romantic progression at all, even following a significant dramatic event spanning several volumes; they continued behaving identically afterward, doubting each other at the first chance.

Moreover, you rarely see them being affectionate or actually going on dates. Most of the story unfolds in public spaces like school, and when they are alone, it usually involves attempts at intimacy only to be interrupted somehow (sounds exciting, right? Even better if it’s the fifth time!).

The plot itself doesn't redeem the experience either. This is the most repetitive storyline I've encountered in a romance – remarkable because most romances tend to follow similar outlines. After the initial few volumes, how do we fill content? How about introducing a love rival? And then... another one! It goes on like this until the end. Seriously. Nearly the entire plot revolves around new characters appearing to break them up.

You might as well just read the first few volumes; it’s all downhill from there.

Love Attack kicks off as a fantastic romance manga. If you've checked out other reviews, they accurately reflect the initial charm. The two central characters are delightful and humorous, sharing a wonderful relationship, and seem to be surrounded by an intriguing set of friends and classmates.

However, it all takes a drastic turn for the worse, making it one of the most vexing manga I've ever read.

Story (5): The story starts impressively. A violent girl with an overactive sense of justice meets a misunderstood delinquent. They fall in love swiftly and begin a slow relationship. It's a promising start that could have evolved into a really fun and unique manga, especially within the shoujo genre, which rarely showcases this level of comedy or fighting.

Then come the jealousy plot arcs in droves. Essentially, these arcs dominate the rest of the manga, covering nearly all but a few chapters. A new character is introduced, leading to jealousy and misunderstandings—usually because the main characters stubbornly refuse to learn from their past mistakes—and eventually gets resolved. And then it repeats. And again. By the fourth iteration, the manga abruptly ends, even before the arc concludes.

Art (8): The artwork is excellent. Clearly shoujo-styled, but with impressive fight scenes, interesting facial expressions, and a meticulous attention to detail in backgrounds and expressions that shoujo often overlooks. Just great.

Character (7): Initially, I adored the two main characters. Then, they prove absurdly foolish when it comes to trusting each other and avoiding actions that could ruin their relationship.

As for their friends and classmates, you only get to know two of them somewhat well (Yukari and Ohno); they are likable and interesting. The teacher appears cool but mostly serves as a plot device. There are others hanging around the main duo, but we learn nothing about them. Oh, and there's also the heroine’s father, who provides great comic relief.

Instead, you learn about the four people trying to break up the main couple. There is some good character development here... but honestly, most times when discussing these individuals, I just wanted to return to the main couple.

Enjoyment (6): I was thrilled at first, but the enjoyment gradually drained away; by the tenth consecutive chapter of yet another attempt to split the main couple, I was utterly frustrated.

Overall (6): That's an average score. It begins as a solid 10, but the final third of the manga would earn about a 4.

I strongly recommend reading the first few volumes. Beyond that? Proceed at your own risk.

I can't quite remember how I stumbled upon this manga, but there's no doubt it's one of the finest I've ever come across. The narrative and its characters are uniquely crafted, interspersed with some charming shoujo moments.

Each character is exceptionally well-developed; the storyline is a delightful journey to follow. There were several instances where I found myself laughing out loud in my room while reading or revisiting the pages! The relationships portrayed are not only heartwarming but also highly entertaining, making every page a joy to read. It truly is an amazing piece of work. You should definitely give it a read :D