'Wowow, slow down!!!'
my friend said to me when I showed her this frame from 'Kinkyori ren'ai'
my friend said to me when I showed her this frame from 'Kinkyori ren'ai'
story and characters
So, after I watched the movie, I expected to see something similar but more elaborate. And because of that I was disappointed with the 1st volume, because its ending was already making a decent happy end. However, my opinion was changing for the better with every new volume. By the 2nd volume I understood that even if the kissing scene seemed less romantic to me than in the movie, there were plenty of other things to make up for that. In the beginning I was seriously thinking it was nothing more than a light comedy, but then I noticed that I was more and more often holding my breath, and it was not because of my Autumn catarrh. Then I made myself read slowly so that I wouldn't let it end too fast. It was dangerous to read fast because I would simply explode. You could cook pancakes on me because I was probably hot enough.
When there were still 3 volumes left I already felt the end was close and it made me very empty. It's a kind of feeling that only arises when I feel extreme attachment to the characters and their story. There is a good Japanese word for this feeling - 'munashisa'. It's when you see something different and then realise you don't want anything different, even if it is by the same author.
Now this is where I must stop pretending that I'm writing an unbiased review considering all pros and cons. I just loved the way the characters' relationship developed - and by the way, not only the main couple. Just to maintain justice I must note that all characters were lovable and, running a few steps forward, I was very happy to see that all of them were doing fine in the end.
But speaking of those two, I just love it when the guy is passionate, if not too impatient, and expresses his feelings in a straightforward way. And I just love it when he makes such painful expressions when there happens something unpleasant about their romance.
Citing myself, I love it when guys "dry up" (in other words, slobber over, dote on and suffer from their love). And I love it when they suddenly get all serious. I mean, really, what girl wouldn't want to hear 'I told you I'm doing it so just stand still here' having his head just 10 cm away?
You might have guessed, but I consider the Hero hot. If you haven't seen lots of shoujo manga heroes I shall tell you they are not always, 100% hot, but this one is. But I just wanted to present you a quiz: what keeps his pants from falling considering that nothing actually protrudes in the pants below the shirr?
Um... And if I created an image in your head that this manga is your pure romantic story, then I'm sorry. It's not entirely. And it has another side... How should I put it... Well, just imagine that in order to scare her daddy the Heroine makes a crab position and drives him to the edge of the roof until he almost falls down but then rushes to save him. 'Is it only me or this kind of situation is strange? And how am I supposed to react?' Exactly the Hero's thoughts.
As you can see, Ms. Mikimoto is very well aware of what she's doing and has enough self-criticism, which she never fails to express - I think by her ? she meant something like 'I drew a saliva drop on her mouth to show that she herself is eager to see the Heroine wear the clothes, but you would probably say 'what's that?' so I'm putting this ? mark here'.
Oh, this is my favourite moment: the Heroine accidentally sees the Hero topless while he is changing his clothes, and her reaction is not your simple blush or KYAAA or running away. Her reaction is natural. Just what I would do if I were her.
By the way, if you wonder what it means, it says 'A dog was biting Ivan'. In Russian. I wonder why in Russian, but no matter what the reason I was happy to see some accidental Russian in a Japanese shoujo.
'Wha? Is it ok just to do it simply like this? It's strange, isn't it? It must be strange!' - says the Hero when simple cosplay of a doctor made it possible to enter the hospital. Again ※ mark answers us: 'just interpret it like it was ok'.
Now that I talk about it, I can finally articulate the second reason I enjoyed this manga, the first being the passionate romance: the mangaka's sense of humour was close to how I usually fool about with my friends, the same kind of imagination running wild and brain recalling absolutely irrelevant things.
language
I would recommend this manga to all young students who learn Japanese and want to read something in Japanese. School romance has never been a difficult genre, but I guess 'Kinkyori' is even easier than average. The only hardship you'll face is that the manga contains a lot of author's associations that require thorough knowledge of Japanese pop-culture, from the 'Great Teacher Onizuka' live-action (by the way, the first one, not the new ones you might know) to T. M. Revolution's songs, from Battle Royale II to to Momoe Yamaguchi's last concert.
Like I said, Mikimoto's imagination flies up to the sky every time she notices she herself created a situation that induces associations with something well-known, like a phrase that matches a quotation from some popular song, or resembles its title, or the performer's name, or a character gets into situation that reminds something well known. I can totally imagine how this was created: the mangaka makes her heroine say 'I cannot even tell him what I want to say so much', and then suddenly the song 'Poison' from GTO starts playing in her head, which she immediately puts down to paper.
graphics
It certainly takes some time to get used to it, and it certainly grows better with every new chapter, though it does not change drastically like it does in works of other authors I've read. What I appreciated most in this manga is that the mangaka was able to convey very strong feelings with just one or two frames, and make me, the reader, feel the whole situation, not just one simple emotion.
She looks aside. He looks at her. Suddenly the wind brings sakura petals through the window and inside that pick whirlwind she seems to be very different and specially attractive, just for a second. What would be his unconscious reaction?
Even though Mikimoto only used the usual tricks widespread in all shoujo manga, she used them so wisely that every time she did, the time seemed to slow down giving me more time to fell the moment through.
Ms. Mikimoto developed a style that made it possible to feel a second like it lasted for much longer when it's necessary, and enabled the readers feel the situation the way the characters felt it. Just look how wonderful she drew the scene of falling down the stairs.
Or this awkward moment when no matter how you try all your creations look the same, while this pro made only one picture and managed to show how the heroine changed very slightly, subtly, when she had natural makeup applied, which made her look certainly cuter even though there were nothing special done about her.
Ms. Mikimoto is obviously very fashion-conscious, because she didn't simply create something simple and easily forgotten, but rather developed a full set of clothes for every new situation that allowed it (read: except for school uniform), and I do cherish such efforts, it's always pleasant to see that the author puts a lot of thought into her work including even chapter covers and backgrounds.
And basically, the same wonderful mangaka is actually capable of creating something like this. A-ha.
I don't know, maybe she had her unlucky days, too. But I won't get angry at her. Who cares about such things if the next page gives you this:
I know I showed it. I can show it many times you know? And never get tired of it.
conclusion
I must add at least one fly into this ointment. When I read to the end, I was not very happy with the kind of story when the Hero deliberately pushes the Heroine away so that she wouldn't end up sacrificing herself. At first I was angry. For about half an hour. Then I thought of something that made even this flaw disappear. While as a girl I usually put myself into the shoes of the Heroine, I imagined just for once what I would do if I were in the same kind of situation as the Hero, having someone I think dear and seeing I'm not the best variant for him right now, even though hoping that he wouldn't change his mind after some time passes by. This is what we, people not having the natural aptitude to understand our own and others' feelings and emotions, do: we cancel our relationship altogether and then wait, and when we get sure we do love the partner and the partner returns the feeling, we come back. And then I stopped being angry. All the more he became honest with himself very quickly.
To sum it up, you should read this manga because... you know, I'll just repeat the words from the very work in focus: cause it's funny, why else?
p. s.
Don't make the same mistake as me and don't buy 'Genshoku Tsundere Danshi. Ikenai Sensei' that contains a special chapter of 'Kinkyori'. This chapter is included in the end of volume 4. Instead, read 'Sensei to kinkyori', which contains another special chapter. It was really cute and filled the gap between the graduation ceremony and Uni's departure to America.
Now this is where I must stop pretending that I'm writing an unbiased review considering all pros and cons. I just loved the way the characters' relationship developed - and by the way, not only the main couple. Just to maintain justice I must note that all characters were lovable and, running a few steps forward, I was very happy to see that all of them were doing fine in the end.
But speaking of those two, I just love it when the guy is passionate, if not too impatient, and expresses his feelings in a straightforward way. And I just love it when he makes such painful expressions when there happens something unpleasant about their romance.
And if you agree with him, the author asks you to keep up with her. You see, the vertical line under ※ mark in the left.
'Wha? Is it ok just to do it simply like this? It's strange, isn't it? It must be strange!' - says the Hero when simple cosplay of a doctor made it possible to enter the hospital. Again ※ mark answers us: 'just interpret it like it was ok'.
language
I would recommend this manga to all young students who learn Japanese and want to read something in Japanese. School romance has never been a difficult genre, but I guess 'Kinkyori' is even easier than average. The only hardship you'll face is that the manga contains a lot of author's associations that require thorough knowledge of Japanese pop-culture, from the 'Great Teacher Onizuka' live-action (by the way, the first one, not the new ones you might know) to T. M. Revolution's songs, from Battle Royale II to to Momoe Yamaguchi's last concert.
Like I said, Mikimoto's imagination flies up to the sky every time she notices she herself created a situation that induces associations with something well-known, like a phrase that matches a quotation from some popular song, or resembles its title, or the performer's name, or a character gets into situation that reminds something well known. I can totally imagine how this was created: the mangaka makes her heroine say 'I cannot even tell him what I want to say so much', and then suddenly the song 'Poison' from GTO starts playing in her head, which she immediately puts down to paper.
graphics
It certainly takes some time to get used to it, and it certainly grows better with every new chapter, though it does not change drastically like it does in works of other authors I've read. What I appreciated most in this manga is that the mangaka was able to convey very strong feelings with just one or two frames, and make me, the reader, feel the whole situation, not just one simple emotion.
She looks aside. He looks at her. Suddenly the wind brings sakura petals through the window and inside that pick whirlwind she seems to be very different and specially attractive, just for a second. What would be his unconscious reaction?
conclusion
I must add at least one fly into this ointment. When I read to the end, I was not very happy with the kind of story when the Hero deliberately pushes the Heroine away so that she wouldn't end up sacrificing herself. At first I was angry. For about half an hour. Then I thought of something that made even this flaw disappear. While as a girl I usually put myself into the shoes of the Heroine, I imagined just for once what I would do if I were in the same kind of situation as the Hero, having someone I think dear and seeing I'm not the best variant for him right now, even though hoping that he wouldn't change his mind after some time passes by. This is what we, people not having the natural aptitude to understand our own and others' feelings and emotions, do: we cancel our relationship altogether and then wait, and when we get sure we do love the partner and the partner returns the feeling, we come back. And then I stopped being angry. All the more he became honest with himself very quickly.
To sum it up, you should read this manga because... you know, I'll just repeat the words from the very work in focus: cause it's funny, why else?
p. s.
Don't make the same mistake as me and don't buy 'Genshoku Tsundere Danshi. Ikenai Sensei' that contains a special chapter of 'Kinkyori'. This chapter is included in the end of volume 4. Instead, read 'Sensei to kinkyori', which contains another special chapter. It was really cute and filled the gap between the graduation ceremony and Uni's departure to America.
