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The Secret of Friendship
A self-contained shojo drama of romance and friendship written by the author of the hit manga series High School Debut and My Love Story!!
Eiko and her best friend Moe couldn't be more Eiko is a shy, average-looking girl while Moe is beautiful and envied by everyone at their high school. Though their personalities are total opposites, the bond between them is incredibly strong. Moe might have an endless supply of suitors, but when it comes to actually dating them, she has a her boyfriend must value Eiko more than he does Moe. No one has yet been able to meet her condition--not until a boy named Tsuchida appears, at least. What will Eiko do when her relationship with her best friend begins to change?
Eiko and her best friend Moe couldn't be more Eiko is a shy, average-looking girl while Moe is beautiful and envied by everyone at their high school. Though their personalities are total opposites, the bond between them is incredibly strong. Moe might have an endless supply of suitors, but when it comes to actually dating them, she has a her boyfriend must value Eiko more than he does Moe. No one has yet been able to meet her condition--not until a boy named Tsuchida appears, at least. What will Eiko do when her relationship with her best friend begins to change?
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
6 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
Kazune Kawahara
164 books292 followers• Birth Date: March 11th, 1972
• Blood Type: A
• Zodiac: Pisces
Kazune Kawahara (河原和音) made her manga debut at age 18 with Kare no Ichiban Sukina Hito (His Most Favorite Person). Also, while thinking of her manga, she often spaces out and brings grocery baskets home. Adores her nieces.
• Blood Type: A
• Zodiac: Pisces
Kazune Kawahara (河原和音) made her manga debut at age 18 with Kare no Ichiban Sukina Hito (His Most Favorite Person). Also, while thinking of her manga, she often spaces out and brings grocery baskets home. Adores her nieces.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
October 4, 2016
FIVE WORDS: Cutest female friendship portrayal ever.
And that is enough for me to love this manga. I am giving it four stars solely because of the excellent friendship portrayed in the manga. While the romance was kawaii and well, romance-y no breakthroughs were made in that department, and I am content with that.
And oh, the art. So pretty.
The focal point of the story is a healthy friendship between two girls and because I read the one shot a fortnight ago, I can't really remember the finer points of the story*.
*If you want to read a sane review, read Vishakha's. Girl knows how to write one.
And that is enough for me to love this manga. I am giving it four stars solely because of the excellent friendship portrayed in the manga. While the romance was kawaii and well, romance-y no breakthroughs were made in that department, and I am content with that.
And oh, the art. So pretty.
The focal point of the story is a healthy friendship between two girls and because I read the one shot a fortnight ago, I can't really remember the finer points of the story*.
*If you want to read a sane review, read Vishakha's. Girl knows how to write one.
January 9, 2021
When I was younger, I was really into mangas/manhwas so much! I did read tons of them and I still have some in my bookshelves. I don't buy/read mangas as much as I did in the past and this was one of the last I bought when I was in Korea. I didn't know what to expect of this but it was so much better than I thought! The focus of the story is the friendship of two girls who have very different characters. The outcome of the story was kind of surprising and the characters were so loveable. The art is beautiful and the story is so sweet, too! I also loved the high quality print of the Korean edition I got.
April 28, 2022
Should've been gay.
November 12, 2017
Just when I was tired of all the drama and girl hate in the manga I've been reading, this one came as a breath of fresh air. It portrays a beautiful friendship and showcases how wonderful female friendship can be. Loved how the author managed to show some character growth in such a short book. Highly recommended.
December 14, 2023
[CW: Bullying]
The beautiful Moe has guys fawning all over her, but her rule is that they have to treat her shy friend Eiko just as good as her. But when two guys entire the picture, it’s a real question of whether any loyalties will stay the course…
This is a one-and-done set of stories, mostly concerning the above crew, plus an additional one-shot. The art is a little (a lot) of an acquired taste, but it certainly has an attractively ugly air about it and it knows how to frame Moe like she just dropped every jaw in the room, so it knows what it’s doing.
Our main story about the bonds of friendship and how they hold up, or don’t, when the pressure is on. Moe and Eiko only have one another, Moe by choice and Eiko by side effect of her personality, but when that starts to change… well, I won’t spoil it.
Okay, I might a little. Moe’s latest guy takes her up on her decree that he has to treat Eiko the same, which turns her into a third wheel, albeit one treated like gold. As you might imagine, this situation quickly becomes about as untenable as keeping a cat happy on bath day.
(As an aside, I really enjoyed this, but I bet it would have been better as a yuri.)
So Eiko can’t take it, which means Moe breaks it off with the guy, Tsuchida, because she is nothing if not absolutely straightforward. Which would be the end of it, except the friend of said guy, Narugami, is a misogynist little turd.
Well, maybe. Narugami has had his view warped by living with his tormentor of an older sister who is also as two-faced as they come and he’s gotten a skewed view that all women are like that. And nobody has ever shaken his belief. Awful, but depressingly believable.
So, when he tries to get revenge by harassing Eiko, he finds himself stymied by the fact that she’s just… really nice, if a bit of a pushover. And Narugami is a lot like Moe, more than he’d want to admit. And Moe and Eiko are already the best friends ever…
It all ends not quite how you’d think, but better than it looks to be going with the whole bullying angle. It’s a big question how forgivable any of Narugami’s actions are, although he recognizes when he’s gone way too far, at least.
It might not be the most original storyline, but it gets a surprising amount of depth out of a very short story and the characters are better defined than more than a few longer series. I really liked Moe a lot; she’s much more interesting than she seems and the relationship between her and Eiko is as strong as it gets.
The backup feature is a one-shot about a friend who decides to help her gal pal out by confirming the latter’s boyfriend is cheating on her. This drags in the boyfriend’s friend and goes everywhere you think it will, but is all kinds of charming anyway. I think I like it better than the main feature, in fact.
Both are, interestingly, about people who are very grumpy and negative who thaw over time and those who surround them. It’s an odd theme, but it was also really conveyed well both times and that‘s no easy task in a one-shot, trust me.
4 stars - I was pleasantly surprised by this and, while, I don’t love the way Narugami goes about his business, he at least grows from it. Two really interesting narratives make for one great little single volume compilation.
The beautiful Moe has guys fawning all over her, but her rule is that they have to treat her shy friend Eiko just as good as her. But when two guys entire the picture, it’s a real question of whether any loyalties will stay the course…
This is a one-and-done set of stories, mostly concerning the above crew, plus an additional one-shot. The art is a little (a lot) of an acquired taste, but it certainly has an attractively ugly air about it and it knows how to frame Moe like she just dropped every jaw in the room, so it knows what it’s doing.
Our main story about the bonds of friendship and how they hold up, or don’t, when the pressure is on. Moe and Eiko only have one another, Moe by choice and Eiko by side effect of her personality, but when that starts to change… well, I won’t spoil it.
Okay, I might a little. Moe’s latest guy takes her up on her decree that he has to treat Eiko the same, which turns her into a third wheel, albeit one treated like gold. As you might imagine, this situation quickly becomes about as untenable as keeping a cat happy on bath day.
(As an aside, I really enjoyed this, but I bet it would have been better as a yuri.)
So Eiko can’t take it, which means Moe breaks it off with the guy, Tsuchida, because she is nothing if not absolutely straightforward. Which would be the end of it, except the friend of said guy, Narugami, is a misogynist little turd.
Well, maybe. Narugami has had his view warped by living with his tormentor of an older sister who is also as two-faced as they come and he’s gotten a skewed view that all women are like that. And nobody has ever shaken his belief. Awful, but depressingly believable.
So, when he tries to get revenge by harassing Eiko, he finds himself stymied by the fact that she’s just… really nice, if a bit of a pushover. And Narugami is a lot like Moe, more than he’d want to admit. And Moe and Eiko are already the best friends ever…
It all ends not quite how you’d think, but better than it looks to be going with the whole bullying angle. It’s a big question how forgivable any of Narugami’s actions are, although he recognizes when he’s gone way too far, at least.
It might not be the most original storyline, but it gets a surprising amount of depth out of a very short story and the characters are better defined than more than a few longer series. I really liked Moe a lot; she’s much more interesting than she seems and the relationship between her and Eiko is as strong as it gets.
The backup feature is a one-shot about a friend who decides to help her gal pal out by confirming the latter’s boyfriend is cheating on her. This drags in the boyfriend’s friend and goes everywhere you think it will, but is all kinds of charming anyway. I think I like it better than the main feature, in fact.
Both are, interestingly, about people who are very grumpy and negative who thaw over time and those who surround them. It’s an odd theme, but it was also really conveyed well both times and that‘s no easy task in a one-shot, trust me.
4 stars - I was pleasantly surprised by this and, while, I don’t love the way Narugami goes about his business, he at least grows from it. Two really interesting narratives make for one great little single volume compilation.
December 22, 2023
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/q9UT6LXu_jw
"If someone asked me what I was proud of it would be that I have a best friend."
This was such a beautiful and heartfelt read that made me feel allll the emotions!
I wasn't super hooked right away, but once I saw how deep the friendship was between Eiko and Moe, I could not stop reading. I was even taken aback by how I started tearing up even before I was 50 pages in! The more I read, the more I was thankful for the special friends I have in my life who have been by my side and stood by me. That they have loved things about me that maybe I don't necessarily love and have lent me their shoulder when I felt overwhelmed by life.
While this story is set in high school. I think it really shows how amazing friendship is and how even when someone is dating, that doesn't mean the friendship will fall apart. These two girls put each other first and it was deeply refreshing to see, especially when I expected this to be a heavier story about romance. It was not in fact that, which made me a tad sad at first, but it was exactly what was perfect for this story.
The art was perfection! I really felt like it captured the emotions of each character so well and really really enjoyed it!
This is a read I can see myself coming back to when I feel lonely and need a reminder that I have wonderful friends who care for me and that I am indeed not alone. Highly recommend!
"If someone asked me what I was proud of it would be that I have a best friend."
This was such a beautiful and heartfelt read that made me feel allll the emotions!
I wasn't super hooked right away, but once I saw how deep the friendship was between Eiko and Moe, I could not stop reading. I was even taken aback by how I started tearing up even before I was 50 pages in! The more I read, the more I was thankful for the special friends I have in my life who have been by my side and stood by me. That they have loved things about me that maybe I don't necessarily love and have lent me their shoulder when I felt overwhelmed by life.
While this story is set in high school. I think it really shows how amazing friendship is and how even when someone is dating, that doesn't mean the friendship will fall apart. These two girls put each other first and it was deeply refreshing to see, especially when I expected this to be a heavier story about romance. It was not in fact that, which made me a tad sad at first, but it was exactly what was perfect for this story.
The art was perfection! I really felt like it captured the emotions of each character so well and really really enjoyed it!
This is a read I can see myself coming back to when I feel lonely and need a reminder that I have wonderful friends who care for me and that I am indeed not alone. Highly recommend!
May 19, 2017
Anyone who has read Kawahara Kazune's other works will know, without reading it, that this manga has an amazing story. Profound in its simplicity and absolutely beautiful in its execution.
Her stories always seem to give a great message on life and living, without taking themselves too seriously. They make you laugh, make you cry sometimes (mostly laugh). and you are filled with this fluffy glowing pink feeling all the time.
Now add to that the art of Aiji Yamakawa. Its so dynamic and so different and just so pretty!! The pictures have such flowing movements even though they are just that ! Just pictures ! Its just so goddam beautiful, it hurts. T_T
SO we have two of the greatest bestest female MCs in the shoujo manga world! Eiko and Moe! Eiko is a plain jane, reeeeally nice and a goody two shoes, also a total pushover. And surprisingly, she is not cheesy or irritating at all. and then we have Moe, who is a beauty. Snarky, straight-forward and very angsty. They are best friends. And they are awesome.
they love each other, accept each other, stand up for each other! there's isn't a feminist in this universe who wouldn't like the relationship they have!
But this is just scratching the surface of this manga. There is so much SO MUCH more to it! Its such a perfect blend of childish and mature! Whenever I feel bad, or my mood is off, I read this. Its healing. Its practically radiating with positivity. Look at them <3
And it has just the right amount of, the right kind of romance. Enters: Tsuchida and Narugami.
so the main reason I absolutely adored this manga was definitely the strong amazeballs female friendship. but we still can't understate just how great these two guys are with each other. tsuchida is an air head with a heart of gold. Narugami is an ass and he knows it. but he loves his friend. he has a concept in his mind that all girls are malicious, but he grows and learns and understands and reflects.
he falls for eiko. and oh god. they are so cute!! and even his relationship with moe is very fun to watch! they have to be my favorite couple ever. Eiko is just so adorable. >.<
overall, I feel so disappointed this manga was only 3 chapters long. and they left the whole tsuchida and moe love angle to our imagination. which is great in one sense and quite frustrating in another. I also feel that this is the kind of stories young people should be reading.
I loved it! 5 star!
Her stories always seem to give a great message on life and living, without taking themselves too seriously. They make you laugh, make you cry sometimes (mostly laugh). and you are filled with this fluffy glowing pink feeling all the time.
Now add to that the art of Aiji Yamakawa. Its so dynamic and so different and just so pretty!! The pictures have such flowing movements even though they are just that ! Just pictures ! Its just so goddam beautiful, it hurts. T_T
SO we have two of the greatest bestest female MCs in the shoujo manga world! Eiko and Moe! Eiko is a plain jane, reeeeally nice and a goody two shoes, also a total pushover. And surprisingly, she is not cheesy or irritating at all. and then we have Moe, who is a beauty. Snarky, straight-forward and very angsty. They are best friends. And they are awesome.
they love each other, accept each other, stand up for each other! there's isn't a feminist in this universe who wouldn't like the relationship they have!
But this is just scratching the surface of this manga. There is so much SO MUCH more to it! Its such a perfect blend of childish and mature! Whenever I feel bad, or my mood is off, I read this. Its healing. Its practically radiating with positivity. Look at them <3
And it has just the right amount of, the right kind of romance. Enters: Tsuchida and Narugami.
so the main reason I absolutely adored this manga was definitely the strong amazeballs female friendship. but we still can't understate just how great these two guys are with each other. tsuchida is an air head with a heart of gold. Narugami is an ass and he knows it. but he loves his friend. he has a concept in his mind that all girls are malicious, but he grows and learns and understands and reflects.
he falls for eiko. and oh god. they are so cute!! and even his relationship with moe is very fun to watch! they have to be my favorite couple ever. Eiko is just so adorable. >.<
overall, I feel so disappointed this manga was only 3 chapters long. and they left the whole tsuchida and moe love angle to our imagination. which is great in one sense and quite frustrating in another. I also feel that this is the kind of stories young people should be reading.
I loved it! 5 star!
December 21, 2023
Fat fucking stinker oh my godddddd this sucked. It was the most childish romance ever and an actual waste of time. The best part of this story was the 3rd chapter for like 5 pages the rest of it was boring as fuck
September 5, 2025
I picked this up because it is written by the author of my favorite romance manga, My Love Story!! While not nearly as good as that series, this stand-alone book about a pair of girls in a codependent friendship handling some male suitors at their high school while third-wheeling each other's dates does all right.
Being a little goofy, a little cute, and a little heartwarming earns it a little thumbs up.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: The Secret of Friendship -- The Secret of Friendship 2 -- The Secret of Friendship, Final -- I'll Go Check on Him.
Being a little goofy, a little cute, and a little heartwarming earns it a little thumbs up.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: The Secret of Friendship -- The Secret of Friendship 2 -- The Secret of Friendship, Final -- I'll Go Check on Him.
August 27, 2020
Plot: Hot girl refuses to go out with any guy unless she can bring her less hot bff along on their dates. Friend of guy dumped over this decides to take his anger out on less hot bff.
1. I have conflicted feelings about this story. It is a pretty good story with decent (and sometimes loveable) characters, but it also implements a few really cliche tropes along with less cliche ones? It leaves me feeling like there should have been more to this story than there was.
2. My favorite character in this by far is Moe, the hot friend. She's slightly mean and very loyal and kinda traumatized and I love her to bits.
Her bff Eiko is a sweet character and that's fine- but there really isn't more to Eiko than her being sweet and forgiving and overall too pure for this sinful earth. I kept hoping for more character growth but nope that was it.
The guy bullying Eiko falls into the usual tired and true "I think all girls are shallow and mean and I'm sure this one is too" trope, something which is particularly egregious and annoying in manga because it's a whole genre populated by girls too good for this sinful earth. I have no sympathy at all for this viewpoint and it greatly cut into my enjoyment.
3. The romance was... okay, I guess. Eiko doesn't really have enough of a personality to allow me to make a judgement there. It's a little frustrating because I think she really could have been a good character with a little more time and internal musings and stuff. I do realize she fills an archetypical role in shoujo manga and so it's understandably deliberate but I am so tired of that trope. (I'm sorry Eiko.)
4. Honestly, Eiko and Moe should have gotten together and the guy should have been their emotional support straight. I said what I said. I'm a huge fan of platonic relationships but there are so many little things that make me read Eiko/Moe as not that? Let them marry each other you cowards. And fuck off with that "I can never give her the joy of a husband or child" nonsense what even is technology for. //grumblegrumble
5. I actually would have really liked "boy falls for bitchy hot girls sweet bff" under most circumstances but not when there was a better story like- right there.
1. I have conflicted feelings about this story. It is a pretty good story with decent (and sometimes loveable) characters, but it also implements a few really cliche tropes along with less cliche ones? It leaves me feeling like there should have been more to this story than there was.
2. My favorite character in this by far is Moe, the hot friend. She's slightly mean and very loyal and kinda traumatized and I love her to bits.
Her bff Eiko is a sweet character and that's fine- but there really isn't more to Eiko than her being sweet and forgiving and overall too pure for this sinful earth. I kept hoping for more character growth but nope that was it.
The guy bullying Eiko falls into the usual tired and true "I think all girls are shallow and mean and I'm sure this one is too" trope, something which is particularly egregious and annoying in manga because it's a whole genre populated by girls too good for this sinful earth. I have no sympathy at all for this viewpoint and it greatly cut into my enjoyment.
3. The romance was... okay, I guess. Eiko doesn't really have enough of a personality to allow me to make a judgement there. It's a little frustrating because I think she really could have been a good character with a little more time and internal musings and stuff. I do realize she fills an archetypical role in shoujo manga and so it's understandably deliberate but I am so tired of that trope. (I'm sorry Eiko.)
4. Honestly, Eiko and Moe should have gotten together and the guy should have been their emotional support straight. I said what I said. I'm a huge fan of platonic relationships but there are so many little things that make me read Eiko/Moe as not that? Let them marry each other you cowards. And fuck off with that "I can never give her the joy of a husband or child" nonsense what even is technology for. //grumblegrumble
5. I actually would have really liked "boy falls for bitchy hot girls sweet bff" under most circumstances but not when there was a better story like- right there.
May 4, 2024
I like stories about strong friendships but I 100% thought this was going to go the lesbian route with their relationship but instead it was a co dependant friendship that is pretty toxic. Maybe I'm just old but I didn't find Moe "forcing' Eiko to go on her dates be cute and then her trying to push away made Moe jump back to her.
I get putting friendships first but boundaries people.
Also the back cover made it seem like the boy Moe dated would play a bigger impact on the friendship but it really didn't.
I get putting friendships first but boundaries people.
Also the back cover made it seem like the boy Moe dated would play a bigger impact on the friendship but it really didn't.
February 16, 2024
Edited to add: I should have known the creator also did My Love Story!!!
Ohhhh this was so sweet! I kept hoping it would veer into a relationship with the two girls, but it ended up being something better. As somepony once said, friendship is magic.(For legal reasons, that was a joke. A terrible, terrible joke) But also, who knows, it's not NOT a girls love manga. Either way, I'm a big believer in friendships being just as important as romantic ones.
"The Secret of Friendship" is a two-parter short story with a separate, bonus (very) short story, "I'll Go Check On Him" that was also a lot of fun.
I also really loved the art! It reminded me of Ai Yazawa's work except everyone has a normal looking forehead and is not as fashion-conscious.
Really hoping there's more from this duo! So much manga has a creator doing both art and story; it was really cool to see a strong collab.
Ohhhh this was so sweet! I kept hoping it would veer into a relationship with the two girls, but it ended up being something better. As somepony once said, friendship is magic.(For legal reasons, that was a joke. A terrible, terrible joke) But also, who knows, it's not NOT a girls love manga. Either way, I'm a big believer in friendships being just as important as romantic ones.
"The Secret of Friendship" is a two-parter short story with a separate, bonus (very) short story, "I'll Go Check On Him" that was also a lot of fun.
I also really loved the art! It reminded me of Ai Yazawa's work except everyone has a normal looking forehead and is not as fashion-conscious.
Really hoping there's more from this duo! So much manga has a creator doing both art and story; it was really cool to see a strong collab.
January 28, 2026
a dla mnie nawet fes
February 14, 2016
This was a very interesting manga about friendship.
There are 3 chapters (and a bonus, but that one features another character that doesn't seem to have to do anything with the characters from the first 3 chapters). The first chapter is about Eiko, the best friend of Moe, and how she feels to be around Moe. We get to know the girls and how they feel about each other and also what happens when Moe gets a boyfriend. The second chapter is from the perspective of the best friend of the boyfriend from chapter 1, he is quite frustrated with girls and he shows his anger by bullying Eiko. It was quite sad, but I also loved how Eiko reacted to all this. Didn't get angry, didn't get pissed, no, she stayed slightly calm and told him. The last chapter is from the perspective from Moe. A perspective I loved, as it gave more insight to this girl, the girl that connects all of the characters. She is not just a pretty face, something we already found out from reading the first chapters, but with this one we truly find out what made her so angry towards men.
I really liked that they told the story like this, I was a bit worried it would only be about Eiko. Don't get me wrong, Eiko is a nice character, however, she is also terribly boring and a bit too much of a follower. She has her good points, but all in all, I just wanted another character. And I got my wish.
I think out of all the POVs we got, I liked Narugami the most. At first he was a dick, but we can also clearly see why he is like this. And he does change, and he is a wonderful guy underneath all the façade he is putting up.
Moe was an interesting character and I really like her. Her attitude could use a bit of tweaking, at times I found her a bit too bitchy and manipulating, but at other times I just loved her. She was great with Eiko, protecting her like a mother would.
The bonus chapter was pretty boring, and I was actually hoping for a side story about our main characters. I didn't want to read about a new girl and her friend and boy problems. Though the ending was cute, and I really liked Tomoya.
The art is gorgeous and I love how the characters are drawn. Sure, the art is not perfect (at times the faces look a bit weird), but that is only sometimes, most of the time I love it.
If you are looking for a manga about friendship between girls, and this time the genuine one, one where the girls aren't bitching or trying to diss each other when they are away from them, then try this one!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
There are 3 chapters (and a bonus, but that one features another character that doesn't seem to have to do anything with the characters from the first 3 chapters). The first chapter is about Eiko, the best friend of Moe, and how she feels to be around Moe. We get to know the girls and how they feel about each other and also what happens when Moe gets a boyfriend. The second chapter is from the perspective of the best friend of the boyfriend from chapter 1, he is quite frustrated with girls and he shows his anger by bullying Eiko. It was quite sad, but I also loved how Eiko reacted to all this. Didn't get angry, didn't get pissed, no, she stayed slightly calm and told him. The last chapter is from the perspective from Moe. A perspective I loved, as it gave more insight to this girl, the girl that connects all of the characters. She is not just a pretty face, something we already found out from reading the first chapters, but with this one we truly find out what made her so angry towards men.
I really liked that they told the story like this, I was a bit worried it would only be about Eiko. Don't get me wrong, Eiko is a nice character, however, she is also terribly boring and a bit too much of a follower. She has her good points, but all in all, I just wanted another character. And I got my wish.
I think out of all the POVs we got, I liked Narugami the most. At first he was a dick, but we can also clearly see why he is like this. And he does change, and he is a wonderful guy underneath all the façade he is putting up.
Moe was an interesting character and I really like her. Her attitude could use a bit of tweaking, at times I found her a bit too bitchy and manipulating, but at other times I just loved her. She was great with Eiko, protecting her like a mother would.
The bonus chapter was pretty boring, and I was actually hoping for a side story about our main characters. I didn't want to read about a new girl and her friend and boy problems. Though the ending was cute, and I really liked Tomoya.
The art is gorgeous and I love how the characters are drawn. Sure, the art is not perfect (at times the faces look a bit weird), but that is only sometimes, most of the time I love it.
If you are looking for a manga about friendship between girls, and this time the genuine one, one where the girls aren't bitching or trying to diss each other when they are away from them, then try this one!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
December 10, 2025
The Secret of Friendship is a sweet story of friendship between girls. Best friends Eiko and Moe are inseparable and spend every day together. Eiko is cute, good-natured, and flexible, putting others before herself and often ending up unnoticed. Moe is popular, strong-willed, and outspoken, she often finds herself facing backlash for being herself. Eiko’s mutability compliments Moe’s fixed nature, they are a perfect pair of opposites.
Moe is asked out often and she repels boys by demanding that they also pay attention to her best friend, until the day a boy says yes. Maintaining a friendship after entering a new relationship can put friendships to a test, as more time is invested in a new partner some friends drift away. Single friends end up becoming a third wheel, and in manga this often becomes the case, with romance taking the lead. The Secret of Friendship subverts this and instead presents a strong female friendship that takes priority over romance.
I really loved Moe and Eiko’s friendship, and after a reread it feels like Moe’s character could easily be read as a closeted lesbian, head over heels in love with her best friend. Their relationship is so endearing that frankly the male love interests were uninteresting. I disliked Narugami, while I liked the idea for the story the romance the execution was awful and the romance felt forced. I’m not keen on bullying romances at all. Still, the commentary about how important and long lasting a genuine friendship can be over relationships that come and go was wonderful.
♥ I’ll Go Check On Him: I didn’t really care for this bonus short story about a girl spying on a friend’s cheating boyfriend. She runs into a boy who follows the main character around, helping her and eventually courting her. I didn’t get any real sense of chemistry between these two and I found the story to be pretty forgettable.
Moe is asked out often and she repels boys by demanding that they also pay attention to her best friend, until the day a boy says yes. Maintaining a friendship after entering a new relationship can put friendships to a test, as more time is invested in a new partner some friends drift away. Single friends end up becoming a third wheel, and in manga this often becomes the case, with romance taking the lead. The Secret of Friendship subverts this and instead presents a strong female friendship that takes priority over romance.
I really loved Moe and Eiko’s friendship, and after a reread it feels like Moe’s character could easily be read as a closeted lesbian, head over heels in love with her best friend. Their relationship is so endearing that frankly the male love interests were uninteresting. I disliked Narugami, while I liked the idea for the story the romance the execution was awful and the romance felt forced. I’m not keen on bullying romances at all. Still, the commentary about how important and long lasting a genuine friendship can be over relationships that come and go was wonderful.
♥ I’ll Go Check On Him: I didn’t really care for this bonus short story about a girl spying on a friend’s cheating boyfriend. She runs into a boy who follows the main character around, helping her and eventually courting her. I didn’t get any real sense of chemistry between these two and I found the story to be pretty forgettable.
December 7, 2018
moe was CLEARLY in love with eiko. this has everything to become an lgbt love story and the fact that it shies away from it makes me pissed off, to be honest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2019
2.5*
Une lecture sympathique mais sans plus.
Une lecture sympathique mais sans plus.
August 26, 2020
❤
A very cute friendship story!
❤
A very cute friendship story!
❤
December 13, 2020
One of the best manga I have ever read.
February 14, 2019
[ French version at the end. ]
Quite liked it but...
Okay, so. The French title translates to "The Secret of Friendship" (original is just "friends story"?) and that's what caught my attention. I was really interested in a shoujo that was more focused on friendship rather than romantic relationships () and that's why I jumped on it when it got released here (which, technically, officially, is tomorrow 😂) but I felt like it was missing something for me to truly enjoy it. I mean, I like the art, the humor and the characters but... I'm just not satisfied with the story?(My bookseller(s) keep telling me I'm too picky. 😅)
In the end, I think I enjoyed the short story "Enquête de couple" (which translates to "couple investigation") appended at the end more than the main one. If not really for the story itself which was pretty much just your typical shoujo story (although it is undeniably super cute) but for how much it made me laugh!
✩✩✩
Bon, je ne sais pas trop c'est quoi mon problème, mais je reste quasi toujours sur ma faim avec les mangas que publient Akata. (Oui, même si j'ai fait des reviews très positives de 2 des one-shots de l'an dernier, à savoir Un petit coin de bonheur et Par-delà les étoiles... (Oops, pardon, je me rends compte que je ne l'ai jamais tapée pour les étoiles, je m'en occupe sous peu -j'espère.))
A l'origine, ce nouveau one-shot avait attiré mon attention car, comme l'indique le titre, ça traite de l'amitié (ce qui change un peu de la plupart des shoujos), même si la romance n'est pas loin (). Et donc, j'aime beaucoup le style graphique de Yamakawa (les expressions faciales sont top 😂), l'humour est génial (), et les characters sont attachants... mais je ne suis pas totalement satisfaite de l'histoire. 🤔(Oui, mes libraires me disent aussi que je suis difficile.)
Au final, je crois que j'ai plus aimé la courte histoire "Enquête de couple" ajoutée à la fin que l'histoire principale. Pas tant pour l'histoire (c'est du ultra-classique shoujo), mais parce qu'elle m'a tellement fait rire !
Quite liked it but...
Okay, so. The French title translates to "The Secret of Friendship" (original is just "friends story"?) and that's what caught my attention. I was really interested in a shoujo that was more focused on friendship rather than romantic relationships () and that's why I jumped on it when it got released here (which, technically, officially, is tomorrow 😂) but I felt like it was missing something for me to truly enjoy it. I mean, I like the art, the humor and the characters but... I'm just not satisfied with the story?
In the end, I think I enjoyed the short story "Enquête de couple" (which translates to "couple investigation") appended at the end more than the main one. If not really for the story itself which was pretty much just your typical shoujo story (although it is undeniably super cute) but for how much it made me laugh!
✩✩✩
Bon, je ne sais pas trop c'est quoi mon problème, mais je reste quasi toujours sur ma faim avec les mangas que publient Akata. (Oui, même si j'ai fait des reviews très positives de 2 des one-shots de l'an dernier, à savoir Un petit coin de bonheur et Par-delà les étoiles... (Oops, pardon, je me rends compte que je ne l'ai jamais tapée pour les étoiles, je m'en occupe sous peu -j'espère.))
A l'origine, ce nouveau one-shot avait attiré mon attention car, comme l'indique le titre, ça traite de l'amitié (ce qui change un peu de la plupart des shoujos), même si la romance n'est pas loin (). Et donc, j'aime beaucoup le style graphique de Yamakawa (les expressions faciales sont top 😂), l'humour est génial (), et les characters sont attachants... mais je ne suis pas totalement satisfaite de l'histoire. 🤔
Au final, je crois que j'ai plus aimé la courte histoire "Enquête de couple" ajoutée à la fin que l'histoire principale. Pas tant pour l'histoire (c'est du ultra-classique shoujo), mais parce qu'elle m'a tellement fait rire !
March 16, 2023
Empezó con dos estrellas, pero el oneshot incluido le restó una. Vi un tuit que describió este manga de un solo tomo como Oremonogatari, pero con dos protas femeninas, por eso lo leí, al final es de la misma escritora. Nada que ver.
Acá tenemos la amistad de Moe y Eiko: a Moe siempre le piden salir y su única condición es que en toda actividad Eiko es quien tiene la prioridad, no ella. Por supuesto, la mayoría de los chicos no lo entiende y por eso sus relaciones no duran.
Eiko es tímida, indecisa y no sabe decir que no, contrario a Moe quien habla sin pelos en la lengua y puede parecer ruda. La neta no me gustó su amistad, Moe claramente impone lo que quiere Eiko al momento de salir, de ir a comer y demás. Si bien creo que el mensaje de valorar las amistades existe, no me gustó la ejecución.
Ahora, los intereses románticos: Moe comienza a salir con un chico, pero en cuanto él le dice que agradece un momento a solas con ella, Moe lo manda a volar y no se vuelve a saber de él. La historia entonces se enfoca en el mejor amigo de ese vato, que primero la agarra contra Eiko, la trata mal y después se enamora. Ahora, ese man trae odio a las mujeres porque al parecer su hermana mayor es violenta hacia él y eso germinó en su odio a las mujeres. Mucho que pensar ahí, pero no le prestan atención.
El final es abrupto y no llega a nada. Si las dos morras se quedaran juntas al final, este manga sería mil veces mejor. Con la cantidad de veces que se dijeron "te amo" y "si fuera hombre, me enamoraría de ti", el potencial estaba ahí y solo lo desaprovecharon.
La otra historia va de una morra que va a seguir al novio de su amiga porque le está poniendo el cuerno y en el camino se le pega un man que al final estaba enamorado de ella. Anda pues, si quieres.
Mucho instalove, no fui fan. Por qué leí esto, qué coraje.
Acá tenemos la amistad de Moe y Eiko: a Moe siempre le piden salir y su única condición es que en toda actividad Eiko es quien tiene la prioridad, no ella. Por supuesto, la mayoría de los chicos no lo entiende y por eso sus relaciones no duran.
Eiko es tímida, indecisa y no sabe decir que no, contrario a Moe quien habla sin pelos en la lengua y puede parecer ruda. La neta no me gustó su amistad, Moe claramente impone lo que quiere Eiko al momento de salir, de ir a comer y demás. Si bien creo que el mensaje de valorar las amistades existe, no me gustó la ejecución.
Ahora, los intereses románticos: Moe comienza a salir con un chico, pero en cuanto él le dice que agradece un momento a solas con ella, Moe lo manda a volar y no se vuelve a saber de él. La historia entonces se enfoca en el mejor amigo de ese vato, que primero la agarra contra Eiko, la trata mal y después se enamora. Ahora, ese man trae odio a las mujeres porque al parecer su hermana mayor es violenta hacia él y eso germinó en su odio a las mujeres. Mucho que pensar ahí, pero no le prestan atención.
El final es abrupto y no llega a nada. Si las dos morras se quedaran juntas al final, este manga sería mil veces mejor. Con la cantidad de veces que se dijeron "te amo" y "si fuera hombre, me enamoraría de ti", el potencial estaba ahí y solo lo desaprovecharon.
La otra historia va de una morra que va a seguir al novio de su amiga porque le está poniendo el cuerno y en el camino se le pega un man que al final estaba enamorado de ella. Anda pues, si quieres.
Mucho instalove, no fui fan. Por qué leí esto, qué coraje.
January 8, 2025
Eiko and her best friend Moe couldn't be more different. Eiko is a shy, average-looking girl, while Moe is beautiful and envied by everyone at their high school. Though their personalities are total opposites, their bond is powerful. When it comes to dating, Moe has an endless supply of suitors. The catch is that her boyfriend must value Eiko more than he values Moe. No one has yet been able to meet her condition until a boy named Tsuchida appears. What will Eiko do when her relationship with her best friend begins to change?
I am a huge fan of The Secret of Friendship—my favorite shojo manga of 2010. I've never seen a better portrayal of female friendship.
The book consists of 3 chapters (plus a bonus chapter featuring a different character unrelated to the first three). In the first chapter, Eiko describes her feelings around Moe, her best friend. We get to know the girls, how they feel about each other, and what happens when Moe gets a boyfriend.
The second chapter is from the perspective of the boyfriend's best friend from chapter 1. He is frustrated with girls and bullies Eiko to express his anger. The situation was quite sad, but I loved how Eiko responded. Instead of getting angry, pissed, or furious, she remained calm and told him what she thought.
In the last chapter, we see Moe's perspective. I loved this perspective because it gave more insight into this girl who connects all the characters. This chapter shows us that she is more than a pretty face, as we learned from the first chapters, but its focus on what made her angry makes it even more compelling.
Among all the POVs we got, I liked Narugami the most. Initially, he seemed like a dick, but we can see why he is that way. Despite the facade he is putting up, he is terrific.
Moe's character was interesting to me, and I liked her. Sometimes I found her too manipulative and bitchy, but at other times I enjoyed her. The way she protected Eiko, like a mother, was excellent.
The character of Eiko is friendly, but she is also terribly dull and follows a bit too much. I would have liked to see more development with her, to see her grow and learn more about herself. Ultimately, I liked Moe more because of her complexity and development.
For the bonus chapter, I expected a side story involving our main characters. Having to read about a new girl and her friend's and boy's problems was not what I wanted to read. While I liked Tomoya, and the ending was cute, I did not like the storyline.
The artwork and character design are gorgeous. Sure, there are times when the faces look strange, but that is only sometimes; most of the time, I love the art.
The main focus of this manga is the friendship between girls, and this time, it's the authentic kind, one where the girls aren't bickering when they're apart! These girls genuinely care for each other, and their friendship is filled with mutual respect and understanding. They support each other and are there for one another, no matter what. It's a beautiful story of true friendship.
This manga has a powerful message about the power of genuine female friendships and is a must-read for all.
I am a huge fan of The Secret of Friendship—my favorite shojo manga of 2010. I've never seen a better portrayal of female friendship.
The book consists of 3 chapters (plus a bonus chapter featuring a different character unrelated to the first three). In the first chapter, Eiko describes her feelings around Moe, her best friend. We get to know the girls, how they feel about each other, and what happens when Moe gets a boyfriend.
The second chapter is from the perspective of the boyfriend's best friend from chapter 1. He is frustrated with girls and bullies Eiko to express his anger. The situation was quite sad, but I loved how Eiko responded. Instead of getting angry, pissed, or furious, she remained calm and told him what she thought.
In the last chapter, we see Moe's perspective. I loved this perspective because it gave more insight into this girl who connects all the characters. This chapter shows us that she is more than a pretty face, as we learned from the first chapters, but its focus on what made her angry makes it even more compelling.
Among all the POVs we got, I liked Narugami the most. Initially, he seemed like a dick, but we can see why he is that way. Despite the facade he is putting up, he is terrific.
Moe's character was interesting to me, and I liked her. Sometimes I found her too manipulative and bitchy, but at other times I enjoyed her. The way she protected Eiko, like a mother, was excellent.
The character of Eiko is friendly, but she is also terribly dull and follows a bit too much. I would have liked to see more development with her, to see her grow and learn more about herself. Ultimately, I liked Moe more because of her complexity and development.
For the bonus chapter, I expected a side story involving our main characters. Having to read about a new girl and her friend's and boy's problems was not what I wanted to read. While I liked Tomoya, and the ending was cute, I did not like the storyline.
The artwork and character design are gorgeous. Sure, there are times when the faces look strange, but that is only sometimes; most of the time, I love the art.
The main focus of this manga is the friendship between girls, and this time, it's the authentic kind, one where the girls aren't bickering when they're apart! These girls genuinely care for each other, and their friendship is filled with mutual respect and understanding. They support each other and are there for one another, no matter what. It's a beautiful story of true friendship.
This manga has a powerful message about the power of genuine female friendships and is a must-read for all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2025
For some reason I thought this was a Yuri, it isn’t, but it ended up being an absolutely beautiful story of two friends. There were several moments in this manga that made me feel. I love when a book I am reading can do that. Eiko and Moes friendship really resonated with me. I think it’s because I once was a teenage girl, I once was an Eiko. The quiet girl that didn’t attract attention. But oddly enough at the end I realized I also was a Moe, not the beauty part, but the part that people misunderstand your personality and think you’re something you’re not- stuck up. I could have done without the second story at the end if I’m being honest and that is what knocked it down to 4 stars. I honestly can see myself rereading it again many times as like I said it made me feel and that’s all I can ask for in a book.
August 20, 2020
3.5 stars
Content Warnings
- bullying
Review
This was really cute! Genuinely I love how important friendship is in this manga, and simultaneously it was an easy and quick read as it's only one volume. I did feel some of the relationships were queer-coded, but I am attributing that to my western standards and not so much on the way the book was written.
I especially enjoyed that the love interest for Eiko owned up to his mistakes and changed his behaviours. Overall it was simple but cute.
Content Warnings
- bullying
Review
This was really cute! Genuinely I love how important friendship is in this manga, and simultaneously it was an easy and quick read as it's only one volume. I did feel some of the relationships were queer-coded, but I am attributing that to my western standards and not so much on the way the book was written.
I especially enjoyed that the love interest for Eiko owned up to his mistakes and changed his behaviours. Overall it was simple but cute.
May 17, 2019
Bless this story for introducing me to the phrase "sisters before misters". On the surface is a cute high school story about friendship, but it's got a surprising psychological component to it, kind of like THE SECRET NOTES OF LADY KANOKO. It really gets into the how people form insecurities and how that feeds into stereotypes. It manages also carry off THREE POV characters and they're all strong and interesting in their own way.
September 29, 2021
it's hard not to read this as a story of a (or two?) closeted girl. sure, there's a universality to the idea of these intense, close relationships many have in their childhood and youth, but there's something different going on here. the writing is great, although i wish we could've delved a bit deeper psychologically (the manga isn't very long so). the art is pretty, although at times sort of basic in that way it often is in this genre.
September 22, 2024
3.5 stars
A beautiful, loyal friendship between two opposite and misunderstood girls (and the boys who accept them the way that they are).
I love Kawahara's other works (her name is what drew me to this one), but she only created the story; Yamakawa was responsible for the illustrations. Although they were detailed and realistic, the style wasn't personally to my taste. That is 100% just a personal preference though and does not deter from how unique and wholesome this manga was.
A beautiful, loyal friendship between two opposite and misunderstood girls (and the boys who accept them the way that they are).
I love Kawahara's other works (her name is what drew me to this one), but she only created the story; Yamakawa was responsible for the illustrations. Although they were detailed and realistic, the style wasn't personally to my taste. That is 100% just a personal preference though and does not deter from how unique and wholesome this manga was.
November 5, 2025
This was my first manga. It was very cute & I loved the art. However, I was kind of confused throughout the whole story & I didn’t like the toxic friendship tbh. The last chapter was the best part of the whole book. I didn’t like the idea of the “more attractive friend” always dragging the “less attractive friend” into all her relationships it was giving weird to me. ☹️ The story was kind of childish but I would be willing to try another manga. Please comment recs! ✨
April 18, 2023
The story was interesting. I did like the girls’ friendship and it made me reminisce about my high school bff… (wish we were still close). I’m similar to Eiko in nature, so it was nice seeing how Moe and later on, Narugami, felt about her. When you’re the more quiet and “nice” one, you feel like you might bore people. It’s nice to see that wasn’t the case. Eiko was very much loved!!
January 6, 2024
4.5/5
Romantic friendship is my jam and I like the author so I picked this up. The galentines is definitely on the stronger end, bordering on codependency, but it was entertaining in eccentricity and psychologically interesting. The additional extra story felt pretty flat compared the main one.
Romantic friendship is my jam and I like the author so I picked this up. The galentines is definitely on the stronger end, bordering on codependency, but it was entertaining in eccentricity and psychologically interesting. The additional extra story felt pretty flat compared the main one.
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