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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures: http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2018/05/15/the-worlds-greatest-first-love-vol-1/
I was at Barnes & Noble a few weeks ago, and as I was looking at books/manga, we heard an announcement, “Due to an emergency, the store is closed, as of this moment. Please check out now and leave the store immediately.” So, of course I panicked and bought the books that were in my hand at the time. One of them was The World’s Greatest First Love, Vol. 1, a yaoi manga about a guy named Ritsu Onodera who starts a new job, only to find out that his boss was his high school crush that he’s never gotten over.
One of the coolest things about The World’s Greatest First Love is that it’s set in the manga publishing industry, so you get to learn a lot about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into producing the manga that you enjoy. It’s pretty meta. Which of course sets off a vicious cycle where I want to read all the manga, and then I start buying all the manga, and then my bank account hurts. But I digress…
When the story starts out, Ritsu is bitter and depressed. He’s kind of messed up from a relationship that he had in high school, where he expressed feelings for a guy, and the two of them got together, but then something happened between them, and now Ritsu is jaded. So he’s thrown himself into his career as an editor, but everyone thinks his career success is because his dad was the owner of the company and gave him special privileges. So he takes a new job with a different publishing house. He wants to be a serious person editing serious things, but then he gets thrown into the shojo (aimed at girls) manga department, and he’s bitter about it.
But then Masamune Takano, who is now his boss, realizes who he is. And whatever happened between the two of them didn’t destroy the feelings that he had. He tells Ritsu that he’s going to make him fall in love with him all over again. And that’s the start of what I assume will be a redemption arc where Masamune’s hotness and persistence will wear through the walls that Ritsu has put up around his heart, and a beautiful romance will ensue.
As I mentioned in previous manga reviews, I love that this is a story about grown-ups. So much anime and manga is about teenagers in high school, so it’s nice that while this one has flashbacks, it’s about career-driven adults.
I really really liked this one, and I hope that I can find more of the series soon! And I know that there’s also an anime of it on Crunchyroll, so I may jump over and try that too.
I was at Barnes & Noble a few weeks ago, and as I was looking at books/manga, we heard an announcement, “Due to an emergency, the store is closed, as of this moment. Please check out now and leave the store immediately.” So, of course I panicked and bought the books that were in my hand at the time. One of them was The World’s Greatest First Love, Vol. 1, a yaoi manga about a guy named Ritsu Onodera who starts a new job, only to find out that his boss was his high school crush that he’s never gotten over.
One of the coolest things about The World’s Greatest First Love is that it’s set in the manga publishing industry, so you get to learn a lot about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into producing the manga that you enjoy. It’s pretty meta. Which of course sets off a vicious cycle where I want to read all the manga, and then I start buying all the manga, and then my bank account hurts. But I digress…
When the story starts out, Ritsu is bitter and depressed. He’s kind of messed up from a relationship that he had in high school, where he expressed feelings for a guy, and the two of them got together, but then something happened between them, and now Ritsu is jaded. So he’s thrown himself into his career as an editor, but everyone thinks his career success is because his dad was the owner of the company and gave him special privileges. So he takes a new job with a different publishing house. He wants to be a serious person editing serious things, but then he gets thrown into the shojo (aimed at girls) manga department, and he’s bitter about it.
But then Masamune Takano, who is now his boss, realizes who he is. And whatever happened between the two of them didn’t destroy the feelings that he had. He tells Ritsu that he’s going to make him fall in love with him all over again. And that’s the start of what I assume will be a redemption arc where Masamune’s hotness and persistence will wear through the walls that Ritsu has put up around his heart, and a beautiful romance will ensue.
As I mentioned in previous manga reviews, I love that this is a story about grown-ups. So much anime and manga is about teenagers in high school, so it’s nice that while this one has flashbacks, it’s about career-driven adults.
I really really liked this one, and I hope that I can find more of the series soon! And I know that there’s also an anime of it on Crunchyroll, so I may jump over and try that too.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A really strong and promise start to this series! I am looking forward to seeing how their jobs and romance grow!! I really love how in depth the setting is with it being a publishing company! I also cant wait to see what actually happened between the two characters in the past!! Bring on the second chance romance!!
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The panels are so dense that it's hard to follow along. Also Saga literally assaults Ritsu like that was a complete no from me
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
lighthearted
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
"Back then, everything was so pure and simple to me. Now, ten years later... I've grown into a warped and jaded adult." - Ritsu Onodera
The art is very old school. I like Onodera and his spirit and his jadedness but Takano is a gross pig at points, and overly cocky for no good reason at others. Unfortunately, despite this series being a classic BL, it falls into the "BL is rapey and gross" plots. If Takano had more growth and development (obviously difficult to do in one volume) and if there was proper consent, I'd like this more, but at this point in time, I don't know if I'd like to continue reading.
I do like they have former chemistry but one doesn't remember the other, and that they were neighbours yet never knew it. I really enjoy the details about publishing manga. I think I enjoy that part more than the romance part, as I'm only interested in one character in the main couple...
This manga was everything that I wanted it to be and more. It was so good! I have watched the anime before, which is why I really badly wanted to collect the manga. Your girl will now be poor because I loved this volume and I can't wait to collect and finish the entire series!
This book gave me weak wrists, and that happens when I read a good book/manga because that is how the feels hit me. I really like the main tropes of the main character wanting not to fall in love with the love interest, and the fact that they have a romantic past. It is just everything I need and more to survive in life.
Because I had watched the anime before, I knew the plot to this volume but I am looking forward in reading the other two mangas that I have and eventually buying the rest of the series. I may or may not buy the rest of the series tomorrow when I get paid haha.
I would recommend this manga. It is one of the staple BL manga's that you'll come across, and I can see why so many people love it as much as I do.
This book gave me weak wrists, and that happens when I read a good book/manga because that is how the feels hit me. I really like the main tropes of the main character wanting not to fall in love with the love interest, and the fact that they have a romantic past. It is just everything I need and more to survive in life.
Because I had watched the anime before, I knew the plot to this volume but I am looking forward in reading the other two mangas that I have and eventually buying the rest of the series. I may or may not buy the rest of the series tomorrow when I get paid haha.
I would recommend this manga. It is one of the staple BL manga's that you'll come across, and I can see why so many people love it as much as I do.
although there are conflicting topics that i don’t think the author developed well, i loved the characters personalities and the intense love they have for each other. definitely a manga that i will read and re-read several times!
This is my favorite yaoi manga of all time! It is sweet and funny and it is set in an editing atmosphere!!!!!
This was really cute EXCEPT I am a big fan of consent, so if those scenes were fixed, I'd give this a higher rating.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content