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Cinderella Closet #3
Cinderella Closet Vol. 3
The romantic story of a plain country girl who’s crushing on her handsome coworker…and her transformation by an unconventional and stylish “fairy godmother.”
Haruka is a “plain jane” who left the countryside to start her college life at Tokyo. She’s secretly in love with Kurotaki, a coworker at her part-time job, but she lacks the self-confidence to confess her feelings to him. Then she meets Hikaru, a glamorous but sharp-tongued fashionista who begrudingly agrees to play “fairy godmother” for Haruka. However, there’s more to Hikaru than meets the eye!
Haruka is a “plain jane” who left the countryside to start her college life at Tokyo. She’s secretly in love with Kurotaki, a coworker at her part-time job, but she lacks the self-confidence to confess her feelings to him. Then she meets Hikaru, a glamorous but sharp-tongued fashionista who begrudingly agrees to play “fairy godmother” for Haruka. However, there’s more to Hikaru than meets the eye!
176 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2020
9 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Wakana Yanai
12 books8 followersAssociated Names:
柳井若菜
Name (in native language): 柳井わかな
柳井若菜
Name (in native language): 柳井わかな
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 38 reviews
October 17, 2023
Kurotaki came across Hikaru when they weren’t in their female attire and assumed they were a regular guy. When that ticking time bomb goes off, it’s time for a real look at who gives a crap about what in this story.
Boy, this sure is an interesting manga. You’d have thought the mix-up between Hikaru and Kurotaki would last way longer than, say, not even a chapter, but no rest for the awkwardness, as Haruka shows up and just reveals everything.
Except it does become awkward because Kurotaki completely trusts Haruka and doesn’t care that Hikaru hangs out with her, even knowing that Hikaru has been developing feelings for Haruka this whole time. Which is certainly a choice.
There’s a really interesting through line here about how much people aren’t bothered by Hikaru’s gender or choices and Haruka makes sure to respect Hikaru’s pronouns mostly religiously. That’s never not been the case.
However, there’s a clear lack of understanding about any feelings that Hikaru might have, along with the incredibly weird vibe in Kurotaki and Haruka’s relationship, which makes this turn into a mess, but not quite the usual mess.
Kurotaki is an amazingly understanding boyfriend and treats Haruka fantastically and accepts Hikaru, respects boundaries, everything you’d want. Except there is exactly zero passion here.
And that’s not even putting any aromantic spin on it - these two are friends who are dating, but absolutely nothing reflects that. Kurotaki clearly realizes that Haruka is amazing, but that doesn’t translate into anything.
A book whose pages are glued together is easier to read, and Haruka doesn’t have enough experience to notice, so poor Hikaru is stuck complaining and watching this slow mess in progress.
But then Kurotaki’s high school friend, Mio, now a glamorous influencer, shows up! Surely… someth… any… no, eh? Well, except Mio sets her sights on Hikaru, despite their frank protestations that they aren’t interested. Mio’s not exactly forceful, but she definitely has energy and goals.
Mostly this exists to have a potential cheating situation that is nothing of the sort, so Haruka decides to doubt herself instead. I love how Kurotaki is doing absolutely nothing wrong here - far different than what I figured he would end up from the first volume.
No, his problem is that he isn’t doing anything right. He feels like somebody quietly checking off the ‘boyfriend’ checklist with somebody he knows is really amazing, but isn’t all that into, except he is, but not. It’s complicated.
Which leaves Hikaru stuck trying to cheer Haruka on, with Haruka being so dense that she can’t picture Hikaru being interested in her (it’s something else how accepting these people are, but they don’t always make the jump to recognizing Hikaru’s feelings).
It’s messy. Wonderfully so. Beyond the strong writing, and this is a great mess of a thing, it’s nice to have a story that’s taking a relationship through the wringer but in exactly the way we don’t often see.
4 stars - the brilliance of the first volume has mellowed into a more consistent sort of thing, but even without that punch there’s still a lot to enjoy here, plus lots of suggestion that it’s not getting any less messy from here on out.
Boy, this sure is an interesting manga. You’d have thought the mix-up between Hikaru and Kurotaki would last way longer than, say, not even a chapter, but no rest for the awkwardness, as Haruka shows up and just reveals everything.
Except it does become awkward because Kurotaki completely trusts Haruka and doesn’t care that Hikaru hangs out with her, even knowing that Hikaru has been developing feelings for Haruka this whole time. Which is certainly a choice.
There’s a really interesting through line here about how much people aren’t bothered by Hikaru’s gender or choices and Haruka makes sure to respect Hikaru’s pronouns mostly religiously. That’s never not been the case.
However, there’s a clear lack of understanding about any feelings that Hikaru might have, along with the incredibly weird vibe in Kurotaki and Haruka’s relationship, which makes this turn into a mess, but not quite the usual mess.
Kurotaki is an amazingly understanding boyfriend and treats Haruka fantastically and accepts Hikaru, respects boundaries, everything you’d want. Except there is exactly zero passion here.
And that’s not even putting any aromantic spin on it - these two are friends who are dating, but absolutely nothing reflects that. Kurotaki clearly realizes that Haruka is amazing, but that doesn’t translate into anything.
A book whose pages are glued together is easier to read, and Haruka doesn’t have enough experience to notice, so poor Hikaru is stuck complaining and watching this slow mess in progress.
But then Kurotaki’s high school friend, Mio, now a glamorous influencer, shows up! Surely… someth… any… no, eh? Well, except Mio sets her sights on Hikaru, despite their frank protestations that they aren’t interested. Mio’s not exactly forceful, but she definitely has energy and goals.
Mostly this exists to have a potential cheating situation that is nothing of the sort, so Haruka decides to doubt herself instead. I love how Kurotaki is doing absolutely nothing wrong here - far different than what I figured he would end up from the first volume.
No, his problem is that he isn’t doing anything right. He feels like somebody quietly checking off the ‘boyfriend’ checklist with somebody he knows is really amazing, but isn’t all that into, except he is, but not. It’s complicated.
Which leaves Hikaru stuck trying to cheer Haruka on, with Haruka being so dense that she can’t picture Hikaru being interested in her (it’s something else how accepting these people are, but they don’t always make the jump to recognizing Hikaru’s feelings).
It’s messy. Wonderfully so. Beyond the strong writing, and this is a great mess of a thing, it’s nice to have a story that’s taking a relationship through the wringer but in exactly the way we don’t often see.
4 stars - the brilliance of the first volume has mellowed into a more consistent sort of thing, but even without that punch there’s still a lot to enjoy here, plus lots of suggestion that it’s not getting any less messy from here on out.
November 7, 2023
The mc is so dense it’s annoying
March 1, 2024
Hikaru is the star of this series, and it's their presence that's keeping me invested.
October 15, 2023
This volume could be four stars for a few reasons, but overall I adore this series and love the premise, so my overall enjoyment keeps it at 5. I wrote that I'd like more variety in the way the characters speak so they don't all sound the same in my review for vol 2. We definitely get a change up here with a girl from Osaka, and that breaks up enough of the speech patterns of the others. Hikaru and Haruka sound more distinct. Kurotaki is a good guy, but he's rather flat - I think it stands out more to me now that I've started reading Ima Koi bc Yagyu also comes across rather flat, but he makes up for with an intent and purpose that Kurotaki lacks. There's not much romantic tension here.
The two biggest issues I have in this volume - one is reading the accent and two involves a wedding fantasy at the end while H & H are hanging out. The Osaka character is loud, energetic, and very talkative. It's both a pro and a con. For me personally, it's difficult to read long stretches of dialogue that's accented (I have cognitive impairment, so it's very much a me-thing). The wedding thing is Haruka fantasizing about her wedding and questioning what she would wear if she were to marry Hikaru. It's well established that she accepts Hikaru for who they are, but she treats them very much as a girlfriend regardless of how they're dressed. (Also of note - There are a few places in this volume where the pronoun slips from they to he.) Haruka's fantasy sees the H & H wedding with Hikaru wearing the dress, which means she would wear the tux. The whole conversation reverts to gender norms and Hikaru's response doesn't ring true to the character. The slip back to male/female roles is disappointing, but given culture differences may have been forced on the mangaka to align with shojo tropes. This likely means that we'll see this happen again in future volumes.
The two biggest issues I have in this volume - one is reading the accent and two involves a wedding fantasy at the end while H & H are hanging out. The Osaka character is loud, energetic, and very talkative. It's both a pro and a con. For me personally, it's difficult to read long stretches of dialogue that's accented (I have cognitive impairment, so it's very much a me-thing). The wedding thing is Haruka fantasizing about her wedding and questioning what she would wear if she were to marry Hikaru. It's well established that she accepts Hikaru for who they are, but she treats them very much as a girlfriend regardless of how they're dressed. (Also of note - There are a few places in this volume where the pronoun slips from they to he.) Haruka's fantasy sees the H & H wedding with Hikaru wearing the dress, which means she would wear the tux. The whole conversation reverts to gender norms and Hikaru's response doesn't ring true to the character. The slip back to male/female roles is disappointing, but given culture differences may have been forced on the mangaka to align with shojo tropes. This likely means that we'll see this happen again in future volumes.
July 15, 2025
Interesting how the cross dressing aspect of the series really only comes into play when Hikaru meets new people and they're surprised. The introduction of Mio is a bit eh for me. Typically, the ex girlfriend character is either a complete schemer or just there to cause misunderstandings accidentally. We already get something like that in this volume.
Guessing either Hikaru decides to go out with Mio and Haruka gets jealous, or Mio succeeds in driving some sort of wedge between the ML and Haruka.
Guessing either Hikaru decides to go out with Mio and Haruka gets jealous, or Mio succeeds in driving some sort of wedge between the ML and Haruka.
July 12, 2025
Puf, la pedazo de green flag que es Hikaru
August 16, 2025
hikaru you are starrrr also this is gonna save my reading challenge
August 20, 2025
Adorable series. I love it.
July 11, 2025
3.5 stars. Solid.
Read
June 14, 2025"He sure is tactless, though. Not doing it deliberately doesn't help. I bet that idea came as naturally as breathing. 'If I visit my girlfriend, she'll cook for me.' How utterly male."
Modern style Cinderella with zero royalty
Countryside girl in the big city
Overwhelmed, lonely, overworked, homesick - BUT NOW WITH A BESTIE & BOYFRIEND. Therefore, not as lonely or homesick
Can't keep up with fashion, life cost, self-care (honestly, tho, if I'm working to sweat or end my shift smelling like food, I'm not wearing my nice clothes going to work)
College aged characters + part-time jobs
Hikaru, the tsundere cross-dressing fairy godmother
Disaster naive mc
Fashion & makeup
A wild ex has appeared!
It's all about the small personal growth
Hikaru is having a hard time letting go of his feelings for Haruka. Every time he decides to let the new couple be together and keep some distance, Haruka endearingly demonstrates her affections saying sincerely sweet words that only make him fall harder. And Haruka is the only person who doesn't know that!
Kurotaki's ex shows up but in a totally non cliché way, which is highly appreciated! And she kind of reinforces the thoughts I expressed about how he is the type of person who will unknowingly and non-deliberately make their partner feel insecure and themselves and the relationship. Healthily reassuring one's partner in a romantic relationship is one of our roles (within reason! Don't give sickly jealousy a pass), but for this dofus goes merrily on his ignorant way. I think he'll be a lesson for Haruka, but not the true ending.
Hikaru is like my spokesperson inside the story! He just keeps mirroring my thoughts and opinions, and he actually has a very modern and feminist way of seeing things which I think is a good influence on Haruka, who seems like someone who'll easily fall into the traps of misogynistic roles due to insecurities, unwillingly (if her dream was to be a housewife, then more power to her, but that's not why she came to a Tokyo University from the country 🤷♀️). He's just a reliable person and I can't help noticing that Haruka always turns to him when she needs help, even with matters where her now boyfriend Kurotaki could help.
Loveable art. I cannot emphasize enough how much joy looking at this book has brought me!! I was taken back to reading Marmalade Boy, and just looking at not only Wataru Yoshizumi's pretty art, but indulging in all the outfits! Hikaru's style is a feast for the eyes!
September 20, 2025
mioriiiiiiiiiiin you CUTENESS if Kurotaki doesn't want you I WILL
(who are we kidding tho we've all read shoujo, they're going to end up together and I'm excited about it)
Beginning to suspect more and more this title is not going to blow my socks off, but that doesn't keep it from being what it is: sweet, insightful, and even appropriately complex when it comes to real people vs social dynamics and expectations. I like Miorin throwing her own curveball into the mix of (a la the Otherness of Osakans in Japanese society) being "super" bold and brash for a feminine girl. The nuances here about love and interpersonal relationships are making me want to re-read High School Debut, which probably did it better? But I like the aesthetics here, more.Hikaru going 'ugh how utterly MALE' most lesbian-coded shoujo romance ever YES or SUPER YES
I'm pretty sure they translated "x-gender" as "genderless," which I don't quiiiiiite like, but that's between me and the growing trend toward mainstream appeal and therefore flattening-out of non-American cultural concepts for the American market in any and all translated Asian media :/
(who are we kidding tho we've all read shoujo, they're going to end up together and I'm excited about it)
Beginning to suspect more and more this title is not going to blow my socks off, but that doesn't keep it from being what it is: sweet, insightful, and even appropriately complex when it comes to real people vs social dynamics and expectations. I like Miorin throwing her own curveball into the mix of (a la the Otherness of Osakans in Japanese society) being "super" bold and brash for a feminine girl. The nuances here about love and interpersonal relationships are making me want to re-read High School Debut, which probably did it better? But I like the aesthetics here, more.
I'm pretty sure they translated "x-gender" as "genderless," which I don't quiiiiiite like, but that's between me and the growing trend toward mainstream appeal and therefore flattening-out of non-American cultural concepts for the American market in any and all translated Asian media :/
October 23, 2023
"Well, this convo sure took a turn for the bizarre..."
Things get even more complicated and over-the-top when a pushy 4th character joins the love triange. This series is crazy, silly, unpredictable... and I love it. The main character is a dimwit, to be sure. But there's a lot of nuance to snarky Hikaru, and I love him/her/them. You know who else is great? The aunt. What's her deal? Ha! So insulting. Everytime she shows up with her cigarette I know I'm going to get a laugh. Plus, the lovely art and fashion focus make this a pretty series to look at. I hope midnight never comes for Cinderella Closet. :^P
Things get even more complicated and over-the-top when a pushy 4th character joins the love triange. This series is crazy, silly, unpredictable... and I love it. The main character is a dimwit, to be sure. But there's a lot of nuance to snarky Hikaru, and I love him/her/them. You know who else is great? The aunt. What's her deal? Ha! So insulting. Everytime she shows up with her cigarette I know I'm going to get a laugh. Plus, the lovely art and fashion focus make this a pretty series to look at. I hope midnight never comes for Cinderella Closet. :^P
February 6, 2024
Ok at times idk what to think about this manga because I feel like some of the things that happen are a little questionable and maybe not the most sensitive to Hikaru’s gender identity, yet they also haven’t really expressed how they identify by volume 3-which is perfectly fine, but because of that fact I’m like…is this offensive to this character? Or not?
I’m also aware there may be some cultural differences that are getting lost in translation…but hopefully we will get more explanation in later volumes. Overall these are a fun ride & I want to be able to fully embrace them!
I’m also aware there may be some cultural differences that are getting lost in translation…but hopefully we will get more explanation in later volumes. Overall these are a fun ride & I want to be able to fully embrace them!
April 25, 2024
Thanks to Hikaru’s help in the first volume, Haruka is now prepared to confess her feelings to her crush Kurotaki… but that’s just the beginning of the fairytale, right? Because now there’s dating and getting to know each other and all the cute little things like remembering to do your makeup and learning to cook dinner for your boyfriend. All of that is part of the fairytale, so everything is going right for Haruka…
Read the full review at Well, Are They? A Queer Review Blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2024...
Read the full review at Well, Are They? A Queer Review Blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2024...
October 6, 2024
so my local bestie hates love triangles and like. fair cop, they're not for everyone. i, however, am realizing i'm all for love triangles that sincerely present real options. kurotaki is genuinely a good guy! this series is clearly going for hikaru/haruka endgame (as it should!!!) but i don't feel like wakana yanai is stacking the deck here. i get why haruka likes kurotaki and i appreciated that this volume ultimately didn't play the mio as ex thing for unearned drama. we stan a series with sensitive character writing
4 stars
4 stars
November 17, 2025
Vol. 1 ★★★☆☆
Vol. 2 ★★★☆☆
I'm surprised Hikaru would have his identity exposed so soon: I thought for sure this would get dragged out over volumes and be revealed at an untimely moment. In the end, Kurotaki is so good-natured that he remains unphased. While the story is clearly building up to a love triangle, Mio is more nuanced than I expected and she doesn't seem like she means to cause harm.
Vol. 2 ★★★☆☆
I'm surprised Hikaru would have his identity exposed so soon: I thought for sure this would get dragged out over volumes and be revealed at an untimely moment. In the end, Kurotaki is so good-natured that he remains unphased. While the story is clearly building up to a love triangle, Mio is more nuanced than I expected and she doesn't seem like she means to cause harm.
July 26, 2025
Até agora esse foi meu volume favorito da história. Bem interessante a evolução dos personagens Deu para entender um pouco mais dos sentimentos do Hikaru e ver a vida pessoal dele, morando com a tia. O último capítulo é muito bonito, adorei a fala que a gente não deve morar com alguém pensando em fazer algo para a outra pessoa e sim querer a companhia. Não se deve doar unilateralmente.
March 5, 2024
It was on kindle and i could not stop myself from buying it. Haruka and Haruki make me lose cognitive functioning with how wholesome their interactions are and especially their friendship (and haruka is painfully oblivious but heres hoping vol 4 gives us some crumbs)
August 10, 2025
I need more from Haruka at this point. She doesn’t seem necessary to a story she is an important part of. Hikaru continues to be the star of this show and closer to confronting their feelings entirely.
December 5, 2025
I still enjoy it but I feel so bad for Hikaru 😭 and Haruka obliviousness for their feelings and this air-headed, cheerful optimist personality of hers is slowly pissing me tf off. Like get a fucking grippp
November 14, 2023
Team hikaru
January 2, 2024
Cue the poly! But really, what messy mess… great stuff!
February 21, 2024
3.5 stars.
March 15, 2024
4.5 stars
Honestly not a big fan of the couple, but he seems sweet. Like Mio though, even if she is a bit … loud? Hikaru is still my fave though, he is extremely sweet!
Honestly not a big fan of the couple, but he seems sweet. Like Mio though, even if she is a bit … loud? Hikaru is still my fave though, he is extremely sweet!
March 16, 2024
Interesting developments happening here!
April 29, 2024
I like this series less when it focuses on the gender essentialism (despite having a genderfluid-ish main character =_=). Also don’t enjoy the new girl added to the love triangle.
August 14, 2024
Everyone was getting on my nerves in this volume 😭 there were already enough problems without the addition of the new character. I’ll give it the next volume to see how I’m feeling.
September 12, 2024
haruka pls…. i understand u but also haruka pls…..
January 4, 2025
The best part of this volume is how honest everyone is about their own feelings, but there's the challenge of understanding one another and timing.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 38 reviews