Lovely★Complex

I'd have to give this manga a perfect ten! It is surely a MUST-READ! :D

It has been an amazing experience reading this manga. Lovely Complex keeps you wanting more and more of Otani and Koizumi's romance~! They may not be the "perfect" couple because of the height difference, but it just goes to show that love isn't all about physical appearances, and that is one good point that this manga has emphasized brilliantly. :)

To make my point clear, here's a very in-depth review, which you shouldn't really read if you haven't finished reading the manga since it MAY contain SPOILERS:

STORY: 10/10

Well, since I am a pretty tall girl, I could easily relate to Risa's point of view, and that's what I really like about this manga. The "realism" it portrays is very enjoyable, and the kind of relationship Risa and Otani develops in the manga was just so awe-inspiring. :)

The story starts with them not really getting along, but because of people they like, they "join forces" and "help" each other with their love lives. But then, the people they were trying to get fall in love with each other. I believe that was the turning point to their relationship. Their weird rivalry-like friendship never ceases to amuse me, and their tandem is very funny. They truly deserve the title "All Hanshin-Kyojin".

And besides, I am a sucker for happy endings, so I was just so thrilled with the results of the hard work Risa put in for Otani. :) The story was truly magnificent!

ART: 10/10

I am very particular with the art (not because I am a good artist, but because I have no talent in it whatsoever yet I want to see what's pleasing to the eyes), and I can't say the art of Lovely Complex had the best art I've ever seen; it's actually just so-so. It wasn't bad... but it just wasn't outstanding. Although... I really found Otani to be a cool guy (especially during those serious moments), Kohori to be simply adorable, and Maity & Haruka to be HOT. :D So, I still gave two thumbs up for the art!

CHARACTER: 10/10

No complaints here. There was variety in the characters in LC. From stupid couples (*ahem*Risa&Otani*ahem*) to overwhelmingly HOT English teachers and obsessive childhood friends. I enjoyed every character in the series. Enough said. :)

ENJOYMENT: 10/10

So during the time I was reading LC, I was SUPPOSED to be doing a lot of stuff for school, but I just couldn't leave it alone till I finish it. And even after reading it, I still daydream of the couple's lovey-dovey moments in my head. So that should be enough of an explanation for how much I enjoyed it. xD

OVERALL: 10/10

It was great! If you want a story that blends comedy and romance quite nicely, this is a manga that will not disappoint. :D

!!!Warning - This manga can make you go all "awweeooii, blush, tears, laugh, feels," and in my case, a combination of all. Before I start reviewing, I need to say two things:

1. This is just my opinion; feel free to give your suggestions.

2. I will try my best to ignore the story plot as much as possible so it won't ruin the fun for you.

Plot - The best romantic manga ever made, trust me when I say this. I have read hundreds of shoujo manga, but none has high re-read value compared to this. It may sound exaggerated, well, I guess it is since this manga was my gateway to the manga world and the romance genre too. Since then, I have read A LOT, really A LOT of romance manga, but only found very few that make my face like this O///////O while reading (Yes, I am a guy, I prefer shoujo over shonen). Anyway, as for the plot synopsis, it's given, but I highly recommend ignoring it as it gives off major hints towards what is going on in the manga. All I have to say for the story: if you are looking for a lovey-dovey romance with no annoying love triangles and where the male lead is not your typical handsome shoujo guy, you've come to the perfect place.

Characters - As for shorty myself, Koizumi, she is the perfect girlfriend you could wish for, who never gives up on you (No, I am not going to mention my height; it's embarrassing). As for Ootani, some people might find his personality a bit annoying, but if you put yourself in his shoes, you might be able to understand him like I did.

Art - Needless to say anything; both art and story are done by Nakahara sensei. She has done many other works too like Junjou Drop, Benkyou Shinasai!, Ringo Nikki, etc. It's just like asking an obvious question when animation is done by famous studios like "Madhouse and Trigger."

Enjoyment - Like I mentioned above, it has HIGH RE-READ VALUE. I have read this manga almost 20 times. It was still ongoing when I read it back in 2006.

Note - IF YOU WATCHED THE ANIME FIRST, MAKE SURE TO READ THE MANGA AGAIN, AS FOR ANIME IT SKIPS 3-4 ARCS and goes straight for the ending (Not saying the anime is bad). Even if you are a first-time manga reader, like this manga was for me, I pray and hope this becomes your gateway to the manga world.

Perfect!
This manga made me realize how emotional I actually am... After only 20 chapters, it had me in tears! I enjoy reading manga during my train commute to school, and sometimes I had to pause so I wouldn't cry in public or burst out laughing! I've given other works a 10 before, but this one is undoubtedly a 10! If I could, I would rate it even higher! Now I have to watch the anime version.

Sure, you might think, "Oh, the art style is quite something," but remember, it's from 2001. Art styles evolve over time, but after 10 chapters, I really grew to like it!

If you enjoy romance with a touch of drama, this manga is perfect! Their high school romance goes so far...

So, I've finally finished the last volume of Lovely Complex after watching the anime multiple times. I can't express how much I loved this series. I could read it over and over again without getting tired of it. This has to be the most beautiful shoujo manga I've ever read. Love Com is a brilliant romantic comedy with wonderfully developed characters. Aya Nakahara did an excellent job on the artwork, making it amazing and memorable, which makes Love Com a thoroughly enjoyable read!

I absolutely loved reading Risa and Otani's story. They are one of my favorite couples ever. They're so perfect for each other, and I adored how their relationship progressed throughout the story. Their obvious height difference doesn't matter at all because they're so adorable. I loved how their story is realistic and relatable. You could see the emotional ups and downs they experienced before and after they started dating. Their witty dialogues and hilarious moments always make me laugh. Even when they began dating, their attitude towards each other didn't change. There are also incredibly sweet, cute, and touching moments that made me say "Awwww" and smile like an idiot constantly! The Umibouzu theme was superb in its own way, and I liked how it played a significant role in bringing our lovable couple together.

Moreover, Love Com wouldn't be as good without Risa and Otani's group of friends: Nobu, Nakao, Chiharu, and Suzuki. They are like the most awesome friends you could ever have and add great value to the story. I appreciated how they helped Risa and Otani understand their feelings for each other and become a couple, always being there for them whenever needed.

Overall, the series is an easy 10/10 for me. I truly enjoyed this manga from beginning to end. The characters have grown on me, and I'm a bit sad that the manga is over. I wish there could have been more, as I don't think I'll ever find another romantic comedy series as good as Love Com! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great and charming shoujo manga!

"Lovely Complex" offers a distinctive perspective on the intricacies of love and relationships. While the manga is filled with heartwarming moments and plenty of humor, it also has its drawbacks.

One standout feature is its sweetness. The interactions, banter, and highs and lows of Ootani and Koizumi's relationship are truly endearing. Their height difference and the challenges it brings create numerous humorous situations that are bound to make you smile.

However, delving deeper into the emotional aspects of the story, certain elements felt lacking. Ootani's emotional unavailability until the very end was disappointing for me. While every character grows at their own pace, his stagnant emotional state seemed repetitive and frustrating at times. Conversely, Koizumi's persistent advances towards Ootani often felt forced and, in some instances, uncomfortably aggressive.

From my personal experience, being with someone who doesn't share their feelings can be challenging. While everyone takes their own time to understand their emotions, it felt like the story kept circling back to Ootani's unresolved feelings without much progression.

The title "Lovely Complex" might indeed be perfect for this story. Their relationship is 'lovely' but also complicated or 'complex.'

In summary, "Lovely Complex" has its ups and downs. It’s a fun and cute story, but I wish the characters had more opportunities for self-discovery and mutual understanding. If you enjoy love stories that prompt deeper reflection, this one might leave you wanting more. Nonetheless, despite its flaws, it does offer valuable lessons about love, individual differences, and how people can grow together.

Koizumi Risa: a taller-than-average girl. Otani Atsushi: smaller-than-average boy. Lovely Complex follows the story of these two misfits and how their relationship evolves from mutual disdain to love consultants, then to a one-sided crush, and finally to being completely head over heels in love with each other.

The story is...not unique, but in its own way, very distinctive. The tale of a tall girl and a short boy falling in love can be found in many stories (like Ikeyamada Go's "Get Love"), but Aya Nakahara adds her own touch to Lovely Complex, making it stand out from "any other manga." The humor is great, the different arcs in the story are neither pointless nor long, and the pacing is just right. Story: 9

Art: Something about the art captivates me. It's different from that of other mangas. The girls don't have those outrageously large eyes (thank God), and the guys aren't the typical shoujo type who is liked by all the girls. Aya Nakahara's art is outstanding because she adds all those little details to everything. Unlike some other stories I've read, Aya Nakahara includes the little flyaways that hair naturally has. The backgrounds are drawn nicely, and the facial expressions had me jumping, laughing, and really feeling what the characters felt. Aya Nakahara adds amazing precise detail to every little thing. So, I'll give the art a 10.

Character: Another strong point of Lovely Complex. In normal shoujo manga, the main girl is often kind, beautiful, and willing to help others at her own expense. Not Risa. Risa is somewhat aloof and wants nothing more than to hang out with her friends, play video games, and, of course, be with Otani. THANK GOD she wasn't one of those annoying nice girls. But if you like that type of person, then Chiharu Tanaka is the character for you. Also, the guy is either the super cool smart guy or the deep emotional guy with a bad temper who looks at life like everything is just wrong and boring. Not Otani. Yes, many stories have the crazy, cute, and carefree guy, but Otani also has a bit of temper that makes him lovable. He's basically a mix of different character types, minus the smart type. His personality is the perfect match with Risa. The character development is really great too. You can really see how much Otani likes Risa, even though he doesn't show it. Nobu and Nakao are just as sweet, and Suzuki and Chiharu aren't that bad either. The side characters were very unique too. You can't forget the lovable Haruka and transvestite Seiko. Each character played an important role for the story to project. Character: 10

Enjoyment: VERY ENJOYABLE

Overall: As you can see, this is one of my favorite mangas of all time. I've read the whole story about 8 times (that's how good it is), and I'm sure that others will find this to be one heck of a good story too. I would recommend this to everyone :D

My first review! Please forgive me if I've given out easy 10s, but I genuinely believe this deserves it, at least in my opinion!

I've read the manga, except for a few chapters after chapter 57 that were unavailable. I have to say, I was completely hooked. Honestly, I don't usually read strictly romance stories. Sure, this has comedy elements, but its main plot revolves around the relationships between characters. Usually, anime of this style can easily go off track. However, Lovely Complex was truly great! It's a character-driven series, and this time, the characters are likable and realistic.

I watched the live-action movie after reading the manga. It was a pretty faithful adaptation, and I really liked the casting choices. They did their best to depict the height differences between the two main characters. Otani was really adorable, and Risa was crazy and generally awesome. However, I'm not used to watching Japanese movies or dramas, so it felt a bit different for me. In a manga or anime, characters can look a certain way, but when real people try to mimic anime, it can sometimes look a little fake. Despite having to cut some parts due to length, I still really enjoyed it. It was really cute.

I've only just started the anime. I do like it—the style and presentation are right up my alley—but I am somewhat disappointed after reading the manga. It progresses way too fast for my comfort. It's great for me since I already love the characters from the manga, but if I hadn't read it, I don't think I'd be very attached to them! So, if you plan on getting into the series, or already are, make sure to read the manga! It's long and really satisfying, but it doesn’t drag on.

__STORY__
I really like the story. Too many romances focus on one person with a complex (which is never really a complex, just some form of moe) who likes someone else. Bleh. Lovely Complex presents two characters who share identical complexes and shows the growing relationship between them as they work to overcome their problems. I really liked it a lot, especially how the characters had complex feelings. It was never just one pure emotion; their feelings were mixed, making it feel really realistic and enjoyable. A very nice story indeed.

__ART__
I'm a fan of the art style. Nothing particularly unique, but the presentation is excellent. It's not overly notable, but it would've been easy to mess it up, so the artist deserves credit!

__CHARACTER__
The best aspect is that there’s no magical girl transforming and hiding her identity from her crush. It’s purely character development, through and through character-driven. It’s really wonderful—you grow attached to every character, even minor ones who don’t appear much after their introduction. You end up liking the characters so much and seeing them as realistic people that you don’t complain when they make a stupid decision because it feels like what a person in that situation would do.

I really love the series; I never want to finish it! Once I finish the anime, what will fill the Love*Com hole in my heart? WHAT, I SAY?!

I’ve been meaning to read Rabu★Kon, or most commonly known as Lovely Complex, after watching the anime one or was that two years ago? Oh well, I don’t remember the exact date, but I can still clearly remember why I loved it. It was one of the funniest anime I’ve watched at that time, and I love the concept of the story. Imagine falling in love with a guy who is shorter than you. Kind of weird, right? Well, it’s possible, of course (I have a neighbor in our province whose husband is shorter than her), but it seldom happens. I haven’t read anything like this before, and most shojo manga/anime doesn’t have this kind of idea either, so it was really something new for me. Lovely Complex revolves around a tall girl named Risa and a short guy named Ootani. Risa is taller than her age, and Ootani is shorter than his. They don’t get along well and keep on bantering like little kids whenever they see each other. With both having height problems, they were then dubbed as the Hanjin Kyojin comedic duo at school. Unlike book reviews, I always do my hardest not to drop some spoilers, but with manga, I wouldn’t mind. So read on at your own risk *wink. I always enjoy love and hate romances, and Lovely Complex is definitely perfect for me. Risa and Ootani started their friendship (I’m not even sure if you can call that friendship as they keep fighting each other, lol) as enemies. I think that wouldn’t be a surprise as they both have height problems – Risa being taller than normal for her age and Ootani the shortest, thus making them like clowns at school. They keep getting on each other’s nerves until summer break came. Risa and Ootani, along with some of their close friends, attend summer classes, and that’s how the miracle happened. And when I said miracle, it’s the two of them getting along well. They become closer since they are in agreement, and guess what? It’s about their love interests. Of course, they don’t have the same crushes, although that would have been fun, but they agree to work together since both of them are friends with each other’s crushes. But something unexpected happens; both of their crushes like each other instead. And guess what? Their crushes end up together, leaving Ootani and Risa heartbroken. I would have expected both of them consoling each other, eh? Sure, they did, but in an unromantic way, which includes a lot of hitting and punching, haha. Really, it’s true. Risa, since she’s taller, is always treated like one of the guys, and Ootani as a girl because of his height too. So it should be normal that the two of them understand each other, right? But I guess even with that knowledge, they still end up fighting and irritating each other as they are somewhat the same; both have the same favorite singer and both act like kids. What I Liked: 1. I love the idea, a tall girl falling in love with a short guy. Not impossible to happen in real life, but the idea is fresh as it’s uncommon in romance stories. 2. Its setting is in high school, and you know how I love YA. 3. The love and hate romance. It could get a little too much sometimes, especially when they finally became a couple, but it’s still very entertaining to read, and the illustrations were spot-on! 4. The facial expressions. Haha, I love how the creator drew the facial expressions, especially from Risa. It’s no different in the anime either; the expressions were way too funny. 5. The kissing scenes. My! They were just wonderfully drawn and sooo romantic. 6. I hate to admit it (know why in my What I Liked The Least section), but Ootani is just so cute, especially if he ties his hair. Sometimes he could look hot too, haha. My! I think I have a little crush on Ootani now. 7. Ootani is not into mushy stuffs, let alone say something romantic to Risa, but whenever he does, it’s just way too sweet I can hardly bear it without combusting. 8. I love that even if Lovely Complex is originally about Risa and Ootani’s height differences, it also includes conflicts between other characters in the story, which gave other characters a chance to shine. 9. When I think about it again, most problems the main characters encountered were what we normally read in YA and any other shojo manga, but I have to say that some of them make sense, and even younger sweethearts can gain some lessons from it. 10. Even if it includes some “slightly” annoying conflicts, I was happy that on the next day, Risa and Ootani both gave each other a chance to explain whenever there’s some misunderstanding. 11. And lots of good-looking and supportive characters. Special mention: Nakao and Nobu-chan. My! This couple is the cutest, funniest, and most supportive character ever. And obviously, they’re added to my favorite list, so are Ootani and Risa *wink. What I Liked The Least: 1. I really hate the part where Ootani is so stubborn and unexpressive and refuses to say some romantic lines to Risa. I understand that they started as a comedic duo, so it would be a little weird, but dang! Can’t he be a little considerate sometimes? 2. Ootani’s very dense. I really pitied the part where Risa did her best to tell Ootani what she feels about him but ended up being laughed at. 3. Ootani not being an ideal boyfriend to Risa. Of course, he can’t be a complete boyfriend material, but sometimes this guy can be so irritating, like forgetting her birthday (who’s boyfriend would even forget his girlfriend’s birthday?!), not believing in Risa, and a lot more I dare not to mention or I’ll deduct another star again. 4. Both of them having third-party problems. That setup is common in every romance story, but I have to say that I was still entertained because of the illustrations, lol. Main Characters: 1. Koizumi, Risa – I always adore her character. Aside from making me laugh my heart out every single moment, she’s really nice too. One example was when Ootani’s tall beautiful neighbor tried to steal him away from Risa. If that was me, I would really cut her head off, but wow, the way Risa handled her was amazing. Another amazing thing about her is being caring, even if Ootani can be a bit irritating, she’s still trying her best to support him and take care of him. 2. Ootani, Atsushi – I love and hate his character at the same time. He could be cute yet dumb at the same time, and it was irritating to read how he treats Risa. But once in a while, he drops some sweet lines to Risa, and my heart goes gaga. I guess you could say I love him more than I hate him, haha sucker. Favorite Characters: 1. Ishihara, Nobuko, and Nakao, Heikichi – These two are absolutely one of the cutest and funniest couples ever. I love how responsible Nobuko is and how supportive she is to Risa, especially when those times Risa almost wanted to give up on Ootani. Nakao, on the other hand, is a very funny guy, but I really adore his love for Nobuko. They’re just perfect for each other. 2. Tanaka, Chiharu, and Suzuki, Ryouji – They used to be Risa and Ootani’s crushes and are now one of their very good friends. They’re a very cute couple too. I don’t have anything bad to say about them as they’re always there to support Risa and Ootani with their relationship. 3. Fukagawa, Haruka – Risa’s childhood friend and Ootani’s rival for Risa. He’s one good-looking guy, and sometimes I want to give Risa to him. He can be sweet and charming yet very stupid at the same time, haha. He’s very funny too, and sometimes I pity him because he’s really doing his best to get Risa’s attention but with no use. But at least, in the end, he respects Risa’s relationship with Ootani, and that’s really good. 4. Kuniumi, Maitake – the hottest and coolest teacher assistant you could ever have. I thought at first that he’s going to be in a love triangle for Risa and Ootani’s relationship, but it turned out that his participation made it possible for Risa and Ootani to make it official. 5. Yoshi – He wasn’t mentioned until on the extra part where we got to see how Risa and Ootani really first met each other. But he’s one of the main reasons why the two of them got to meet each other and has a huge impact on both Risa and Ootani, so I guess it’s just right to add him to this short list. My plan was to make this a short review but still ended up making it a long one, haha. Oh well, it can’t be helped *wink. Overall, I really enjoyed Lovely Complex. It was romantic and very entertaining. If you like shojo anime and YA, then Lovely Complex is highly recommended. While at it, you may want to consider watching the anime too. Enjoy!