The Devilish Charm of the alpha

The author can't wrote dialogues to save his life. The dialogue sounds cardboard and cringe af.

interesting story

Tyler is really an asshole, pushed her out just like that even when she’s carrying your baby?? I cannot wait he goes back to her crawling on his knees
more chapters please...

Kimagure Orange Road is a high school romantic comedy manga with supernatural elements, written by Matsumoto Izumi. It was serialized in the renowned Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1987, spanning 156 chapters (with one special chapter about the mangaka included in the 15th volume) and compiled into 18 volumes. Adapted into a TV anime, OVAs, and movies, it was quite popular during its time.

A glance at the era and setting gives a clear idea of the premise: a high school boy, Kasuga Kyousuke, who possesses supernatural powers, is enamored with the cool beauty Ayukawa Madoka. The complication arises because Ayukawa's best friend, Hiyama Hikaru—who is a year younger—has feelings for Kyousuke, believing him to be exceptional. This simple love triangle is set in the 80s, a time when we didn't have mobile phones, instead going to cinemas and discos to enjoy city pop music (in Japan), where delinquents roamed the streets, and no one took selfies to post on social media.

What this manga excels at is creating an atmosphere that embodies the 80s. From references to common knowledge of the time, you'll be transported into this world; every time I read some chapters, my mind was immersed in that era. It evoked nostalgia for me, having spent my childhood in the 90s, as my generation and the characters' generation are somewhat similar. However, this doesn't matter much since a young reader could still enjoy it as a blast from the past. The author skillfully incorporates all the good and cool aspects of that period into intricate and sometimes absurd plots and mini stories to keep us entertained.

Now, seriously, this manga doesn't need a review—it's too unique. It warrants a rant or an in-depth analysis of why the characters are so annoying, why the manga is repetitive, why it makes readers root for one girl and dislike the other. Perhaps it's due to the characters' ages or one could think meta and suggest that the publisher wanted to extend the manga's run because everyone was reading it for some reason. It was popular, with many obsessing over it and being crazy about Ayukawa, leading to waifu wars where fans sent letters to the author and later the anime studio. What did they want? Nothing much—they wanted their favorite girl to win the heart of the main character. At this point, this manga resembles a Mexican telenovela.

The potential reader should be clear on one thing before diving in: Kyousuke is in a relationship with Hikaru. This isn't a spoiler; in most manga, relationships remain ambiguous until the final couples are made. Here, he meets the girls and forms a couple with Hikaru. Due to his greed, he wants to fool around with Madoka, and she has no objections. We don't know until later if Madoka reciprocates his feelings, but dating her while she's best friends with Hikaru is questionable and scumbag behavior. The story progresses with Kyousuke wanting to hook up with Madoka while keeping it secret from Hikaru, who is childish and innocent. If something happens, no problem—our protagonist has powers. He can teleport, become invisible, move objects, essentially do anything, but he's too much of an idiot to use them effectively. That's the overall premise, though there are quieter chapters where the characters simply hang out and have fun.

Each chapter follows this general love triangle plot, whether it's chapter 15 or chapter 121. The only difference is that the manga adheres to a timeline, covering the three years of high school, giving readers an idea of when events occur. They frequently remind you that a particular chapter takes place during the summer break of their first year or their second year in high school, which is a neat concept. This means we get those beach, snowy mountain, end-of-the-year episodes more than once, and when the mangaka feels uninspired, they'll just send the characters to Hawaii because why not?

Don't expect wholesome romance here; it's all about "the switch." Kyousuke, the guy with powers, wants to switch from Hikaru to Madoka. You might wonder why he doesn't break up with Hikaru and pursue Madoka—because he's an idiot. In almost every manga, he denies being Hikaru's boyfriend, yet he takes her on dates and she occasionally visits his place. He's afraid to tell her the truth, and when he does or gets caught, Hikaru simply dismisses it, calling it a misunderstanding and moving on. Each chapter ends this way.

I give credit to Kyousuke; he's better than your typical harem protagonist and more assertive. He's not a pervert, but he enjoys the occasional boob fondle. In my opinion, he's just a cheating bastard who needs to make up his mind. Despite this, following him is entertaining—he just wants to have the time of his life but is too indecisive with girls.

Madoka plays the role of the "other woman," enjoying spending time with Kyousuke without informing Hikaru, fearing Hikaru's sadness. Does she love Kyousuke? We'll find out while reading the manga. Regardless, she's the main attraction—a girl anyone would want to date, beautiful and intelligent with a hot body and musical talent. She frequents nightclubs and captivates men, with long hair and a soft-spoken demeanor, a strong personality and beliefs. Yet, as intriguing as she is, she's hard to understand and approach.

Hikaru is cute and gentle, her signature move being running and embracing senpai (Kyousuke) while acting clumsy. She's energetic and childlike, pure and immature. If Kyousuke told her he doesn't like her, would she kill herself? Readers must discover that themselves.

Despite sounding like a decent rant, I devoured this stuff like a crazed fanatic. Every chapter or mini story arc (there are a few but not exceeding 4-5 chapters) I read, I enjoyed. What will Kyousuke do today? A date with Hikaru, but he also set a date with Ayukawa—what to do? Kyousuke will teleport between places to be with both girls, naturally forgetting where he is most of the time, leading to hilarity. It's a peculiar type of comedy, adding sexy shots, making the guy fall on top of the girl comically, and I enjoyed it even more. Every chapter ends with misunderstandings cleared so their relationships remain unchanged.

The plots are very straightforward—we encounter delinquents attempting to assault girls (this happens more than once), our protagonists getting drunk, Valentine's chocolates, etc. Insert every cliche imaginable—this manga has it all. It's a fun ride, albeit annoying at times, but I liked it even when the characters frustrated me. This manga features over-the-top misunderstandings, right up my alley, and the supernatural element either saves the day or ruins it humorously. Keep in mind that Kyousuke can flip girls' skirts with his power, meaning anything bizarre can happen. Also, his powers must remain a secret—no one should find out.

At the end of the day, it's merely a lighthearted love comedy. Don't invest too much emotion into it, don't dwell on the implications of dating Madoka or only Hikaru, don't ponder cheating (or analyze these scenarios as I did). Just follow these characters, feel the manga, embrace the setting. If you enjoy romances like Kimi ni Todoke or even Kaguya-sama, you might not appreciate this as much. Don't waste energy hating the characters for doing stupid things—it's not worth it. The charm of Kimagure comes from Kyousuke's romantic antics with Hikaru and Madoka—going to discos, fancy restaurants, cheek-to-cheek moments, the beach, mountain resorts, rock concerts. I don't recommend it for the characters but for the events; it sounds silly, but I'm unsure how else to phrase it. Believe me, these characters aren't people you'd want to befriend—they're just unlikable. Even the supporting characters are annoying: Kyousuke's little cousin with powers is a brat, his sister—a crazy lesbian with powers too, a guy who loves Hikaru—an obsessed idiot, Hatta and Komatsu—the most irritating individuals and backstabbing friends I've encountered in a slice-of-life manga.

The art style is decent—I'd say it's mediocre initially, but the author improves over time, delivering stunning panels towards the end. The characters aren't remarkable—they sport 80s hairstyles, realistic proportions, and big eyes. However, Madoka's design is beautiful; the mangaka nailed it. She's supposed to look like a cool beauty, mysterious, hard to approach, and stunning—and she does. The backgrounds are impressive, making you feel as if you're living in the 80s.

Don't compare this manga to its anime adaptation; the manga is wilder. For instance, Kyousuke explicitly says, "I have to cheat" (referring to Hikaru when he wanted to spend time with Madoka, a line absent in the anime), and there are more sexy scenes and ecchi content. This is akin to a journal of adolescence, filled with fun with girls, school test troubles, cigarette and alcohol experimentation, parties, and attempts to steal a kiss from a girl, with occasional transformations into fish or cats.

It may seem like the characters are total trash, but it's not entirely true. While I dislike them for the reasons mentioned (some might not care), they do have redeeming qualities and deeper aspects revealed as you read the manga. The story has its serious moments and perfectly sets the atmosphere, feeling natural to me. I enjoyed both the funny and serious moments equally. The transitions were smooth, and it's an easy, light read. The ending is satisfying and emotional, conclusively resolving the love triangle dilemma.

It's the quintessential 80s romcom, packed with all the cliches of the era.