My rating for this collection of one-shots varies because there was one I truly enjoyed and another that left me thinking "What the hell?" The best story, in my opinion, was the fourth - Uso to Koi no Hajimari. And I really disliked (despite the very handsome guy) the third story - Atashi no Mannaka. The others didn't really strike me as "awesome" or "brilliant," but they were at least pleasant.
Here's a breakdown of the 5 stories:
Story 1 - "Real Kiss": 7/10
Fujikawa was so sweet, and Haruna was a strong female lead. Her ex-boyfriend was a total jerk, but the story wouldn't be complete without him, so he was tolerable. The plot was quick-paced, as you'd expect from a one-shot, but still cute. This is probably my second favorite one-shot in the compilation.
Story 2 - "Body Talk": 6/10
While I found the "I fell in love with your body" concept somewhat disgusting, it wasn't too bad. It was refreshing to have a girl who was inexperienced yet so perverse at the same time. Shingo was an eye-catcher (despite what I said before), and his conservative nature until his "switch" was flipped was amusing. Still, I can't stand smutty scenes.
Story 3 - "Atashi no Mannaka": 3/10
The lead character was a [censored], and I felt sorry for her real boyfriend. She was such a slut. The plot line was just... vile. Just because the (hot) son of the principal gives a new, maybe enjoyable meaning to "punishment," it was mean to hurt her boyfriend like that. Even if they did love each other, stepping on another person's feelings was wrong. The only positive thing I can say is that the art was amazing.
Story 4 - "Uso to Koi no Hajimari": 10/10
Akane and Ken resemble the main characters of the mangaka's other work "Boku ni Natta Watashi"! I don't mind that. In fact, it was nostalgic to see "Itou" and "Momoko" in action again (though with a different story). Anyway, the art for the manga was beautiful, and the plot was simply lovely. This is one I highly recommend. This might be my most favorite one-shot ever.
Story 5 - "Ah! Itoshi no Caramel Boy": 6/10
The story was nice, and the characters were okay. Basically, this story was just average. Nothing special, but not really bad either. I was surprised by the last part. I don't like smutty scenes, but if you enjoy that stuff, this might appeal to you.
Story 6 - "Renai Sensou": 6/10
Some people seem to like this (as far as I could tell from the forums at MangaFox), but it was just so-so for me. Sure, it was kind of funny. I liked the guy, who, despite his flirtatious nature, loves his girlfriend more than others. It was sweet that he may be easily swayed by girls who flirt with him, but at the end of the day, he only chases after one girl. I just found the girl rather stupid; who would forget their... well, it's up to you to find out what she forgot; it'll spoil a probably comical relief to the story if I revealed [that].
Overall: 7/10
Aside from the one I loved and the one I hated, this compilation is actually a good choice. If you're bored or desperate for something to read, this might help.
I adore how in so many manga, the hero always comes up with an adorable little nickname for the shoujo. In this first story, it's "Glamour Girl." Groowf! Every time I picture Fujikawa saying it, I get all tingly inside. Who wouldn't want a cutie randomly calling them and asking for "Glamour Girl"? Nyaaa!
Anyway, Fuji and Haruna are classmates who both have boyfriend troubles and rumors swirling about them at school. But one day, since Fuji is feeling especially playful, he takes a bite of Haruna's purinpan when he bumps into her and some friends at the market. She doesn't body slam him (thankfully!), but their cell phones fall and, as per manga tradition, get swapped.
Now Mr. Player (Fuji) is toying with Haruna, dangling her phone and glasses just out of reach. Of course, because he's so incredibly hot, she gets flustered around him. Find out how things unfold—it’s hardly unpredictable, right? But the journey is surprisingly entertaining, making for a fun read.
Haruna loves declaring, "I'm irritated," which never fails to amuse me! Plus, she rides a cute little scooter, and Miyasaka does us girls a huge favor by crafting Haruna as a much stronger character compared to his other more meek heroines (like Karin, Kotori, etc.).
Some of the stories are truly naive. In my opinion, the best one worth reading is story 4 - Uso to Koi no Hajimari. The art is appealing and the story engaging. You don't get the feeling that the oneshot ruined it; the simplicity is just right. There aren't any intense scenes, and the story focuses well on character emotions.
I didn't particularly enjoy stories 2 and 3. They seem too implausible—like how a girl falls in love with her rapist, or how another girl is superficially attracted to looks but ends up in a grand love story. Perhaps some might like these aspects that I disliked, but I wouldn't recommend them.
The first story is decent, but the others aren't particularly noteworthy.
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Here's a breakdown of the 5 stories:
Story 1 - "Real Kiss": 7/10
Fujikawa was so sweet, and Haruna was a strong female lead. Her ex-boyfriend was a total jerk, but the story wouldn't be complete without him, so he was tolerable. The plot was quick-paced, as you'd expect from a one-shot, but still cute. This is probably my second favorite one-shot in the compilation.
Story 2 - "Body Talk": 6/10
While I found the "I fell in love with your body" concept somewhat disgusting, it wasn't too bad. It was refreshing to have a girl who was inexperienced yet so perverse at the same time. Shingo was an eye-catcher (despite what I said before), and his conservative nature until his "switch" was flipped was amusing. Still, I can't stand smutty scenes.
Story 3 - "Atashi no Mannaka": 3/10
The lead character was a [censored], and I felt sorry for her real boyfriend. She was such a slut. The plot line was just... vile. Just because the (hot) son of the principal gives a new, maybe enjoyable meaning to "punishment," it was mean to hurt her boyfriend like that. Even if they did love each other, stepping on another person's feelings was wrong. The only positive thing I can say is that the art was amazing.
Story 4 - "Uso to Koi no Hajimari": 10/10
Akane and Ken resemble the main characters of the mangaka's other work "Boku ni Natta Watashi"! I don't mind that. In fact, it was nostalgic to see "Itou" and "Momoko" in action again (though with a different story). Anyway, the art for the manga was beautiful, and the plot was simply lovely. This is one I highly recommend. This might be my most favorite one-shot ever.
Story 5 - "Ah! Itoshi no Caramel Boy": 6/10
The story was nice, and the characters were okay. Basically, this story was just average. Nothing special, but not really bad either. I was surprised by the last part. I don't like smutty scenes, but if you enjoy that stuff, this might appeal to you.
Story 6 - "Renai Sensou": 6/10
Some people seem to like this (as far as I could tell from the forums at MangaFox), but it was just so-so for me. Sure, it was kind of funny. I liked the guy, who, despite his flirtatious nature, loves his girlfriend more than others. It was sweet that he may be easily swayed by girls who flirt with him, but at the end of the day, he only chases after one girl. I just found the girl rather stupid; who would forget their... well, it's up to you to find out what she forgot; it'll spoil a probably comical relief to the story if I revealed [that].
Overall: 7/10
Aside from the one I loved and the one I hated, this compilation is actually a good choice. If you're bored or desperate for something to read, this might help.
Anyway, Fuji and Haruna are classmates who both have boyfriend troubles and rumors swirling about them at school. But one day, since Fuji is feeling especially playful, he takes a bite of Haruna's purinpan when he bumps into her and some friends at the market. She doesn't body slam him (thankfully!), but their cell phones fall and, as per manga tradition, get swapped.
Now Mr. Player (Fuji) is toying with Haruna, dangling her phone and glasses just out of reach. Of course, because he's so incredibly hot, she gets flustered around him. Find out how things unfold—it’s hardly unpredictable, right? But the journey is surprisingly entertaining, making for a fun read.
Haruna loves declaring, "I'm irritated," which never fails to amuse me! Plus, she rides a cute little scooter, and Miyasaka does us girls a huge favor by crafting Haruna as a much stronger character compared to his other more meek heroines (like Karin, Kotori, etc.).
I didn't particularly enjoy stories 2 and 3. They seem too implausible—like how a girl falls in love with her rapist, or how another girl is superficially attracted to looks but ends up in a grand love story. Perhaps some might like these aspects that I disliked, but I wouldn't recommend them.
The first story is decent, but the others aren't particularly noteworthy.