A review by sunnymashi
Love★Com, Vol. 1 by Aya Nakahara

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I enjoyed this! I wanted to get into the series again a while back, so when I saw the first volume sitting in the library I was like omg this is my chance to start it and I do not regret it! It is so comedic and fun! The way Risa and Otani devise so many schemes yet it only pushes them together more is just absolute genius. Even though the story was very chaotic, I did appreciate how it could include strong beats of emotion, with Otani’s struggle in the basketball team for example.  Though I will say the book is a bit outdated in terms of gender identity and expression (for example, the book implies that genitals = gender identity in a line Risa says and that being adorable is not what a guy should want to be perceived as (not sure if I interpreted that right, but that’s how it came across to me… like express yourself how you want, but your expression does not impact what you identify as… hence men can want to be adorable yet still be men))… I considered it a consequence of lack of education on gender identity and expression due to the time and the surrounding attitudes within it, which is not an excuse but rather an explanation. I hope the story improves in that regard. Aside from that, I love how the story also focuses on their personal characters and how that affects their view on romance. It shows them pursuing romance, but having it be cut short by the fact they don’t fit with societal expectations for height for each gender.