Comics / Manga

My Love Story!!: Volume 9 manga review

By Leroy Douresseaux
July 12, 2016 - 14:31

My Love Story Volume 9 cover image

Rated “T” for “Teen”

High school student, Takeo Goda, is a giant guy, who isn't the most attractive fellow.  While he has a giant heart, the girls at the school he attends, Shuei High School, won't have anything to do with him.  Then, Takeo meets Rinko Yamato, from Koizumi Girls Academy, after saving her from a harasser on the train.  Yamato falls in love with Takeo and changes his life.  Takeo's long-time friend, Makoto Sunakawa, tags along for fun.

As My Love Story!!, Vol. 9 (Chapters 32 to 34) opens, Takeo admits to Sunakawa that he still cannot call Yamato by her first name, Rinko.  Meanwhile, Yamato has settled into her summer job at the pastry shop, “Les Cerises.”  Koki Ichinose, a young pastry chef there, has fallen in love with Yamato and thinks of her as his muse.  Ichinose has entered a star-making competition for young pastry chefs, and he wants Yamato to help him prepare.  He also tells Takeo something shocking.

[This volume includes a bonus story.]

THE LOWDOWN:  The My Love Story!! manga is officially no fluke.  It is one of the best shojo high school romances.  The story, with its “beauty and the beast” twist, continues to evolve with the maturing relationship of its lead couple.  Creators Kazune Kawahara (writer) and Aruko (artist) are certainly working the unusual angles of their series.

My Love Story!! Volume 9 continues its focus on a romantic rival, something at which this series is quite good.  Yamato and Takeo seem like a destined couple, but throwing in a rival or someone that wants to break up the happy couple adds an interesting conflict angle to the larger narrative.  My Love Story!! is just a plain good read, one that is reliable charming.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for sweet love stories that are a bit different will want to try the Shojo Beat title, My Love Story!!

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Rating: A /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12