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霧尾ファンクラブ [Kirio Fanclub] #1
Kirio Fan Club 1
What would you do if your crush had ear-splitting farts?
Such are the deep, philosophical questions Aimi and Nami, two friends-slash-rivals in romance, ponder as they pull out every unhinged stop to catch the eye of their oblivious classmate Kirio—conducting nightly rituals to entice him into their dreams and listing what they love about him down to the very last organ.
But can their hilarious friendship survive the battle for the heart of this boy who hardly seems to know they exist?
First adapted into a live-action drama and soon to debut as an anime, this rip-roaring romcom will prove once and for all what is fair in love and war—or, if nothing else, what’s fair in love and rock, paper, scissors.
Such are the deep, philosophical questions Aimi and Nami, two friends-slash-rivals in romance, ponder as they pull out every unhinged stop to catch the eye of their oblivious classmate Kirio—conducting nightly rituals to entice him into their dreams and listing what they love about him down to the very last organ.
But can their hilarious friendship survive the battle for the heart of this boy who hardly seems to know they exist?
First adapted into a live-action drama and soon to debut as an anime, this rip-roaring romcom will prove once and for all what is fair in love and war—or, if nothing else, what’s fair in love and rock, paper, scissors.
164 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 7, 2026
[Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for an ARC of this manga in exchange for an unbiased review.]
Calm down, Aimi. Your bento’s gone vertical.
Not the funniest line of the volume, but one of the shortest so it works in illustration. This otherwise should not work at all; it reads more like a yandere training primer than a proper story, but in all the best ways. If such a thing can be said to exist.
Aimi and Nami love Kirio, whoever he is, and have a strange frenemy relationship where they love to hang out and wax poetic over their crush while also competing over who can impress him the most.
Which sounds like I just described Tenchi Muyo, a series that this reminded me a lot of. Well, if you took the male lead completely out of the equation and focused on the two girls instead. And made them weirder.
Kirio is not exactly non-existent, but he is a focal point for the girls rather than for the reader. There are plenty of vague hints that he is just a completely normal classmate who these two elevate to nonsensical heights. There are even moments that suggest that he’s not really that impressive.
It certainly puts the spotlight on Aimi and Nami, whose overboard obsession makes this some of the cringiest comedy I’ve read in a long time. I think their behaviour can border on obnoxious, but good lord is it ever funny.
This leads off, yes it begins in narrative earnest, with a dead serious conversation about farts so loud that they could kill and desire to get into Kirio’s ‘fart zone’. It just goes downhill from there.
Some of the gags in this are wild and occasionally inventive. The section with the cake eating monkey feels like a real ass pull until it all coalesces into something very close to beauty.
Nami is the more outgoing of the pair, while Aimi may be in the running for meanest human being in Japan (allegedly). The way they deal with themselves, other rivals (her chapter is another one that just delivers gag after gag), and various competitions between themselves is ridiculously good.
That, however, is provided you can stand the two of them and that is definitely where some people will find this too much. Nami and Aimi are having fun, but they can also go so hard that they become grating at times. I think the laughs make up for it, but I see the other side.
If you do like it? It’s a good time. Even the bonus comic is a very silly bon mot with wicked joke density. At any rate, it’s absolutely worth checking out the volume to see if you like it. For the right sort of reader this is a real riot.
4 stars - for the people this works for? Absolutely amazing. I do think that those less inclined to spend time with these two it would be an utter slog. Still, it surprised me in a good way.
Calm down, Aimi. Your bento’s gone vertical.
Not the funniest line of the volume, but one of the shortest so it works in illustration. This otherwise should not work at all; it reads more like a yandere training primer than a proper story, but in all the best ways. If such a thing can be said to exist.
Aimi and Nami love Kirio, whoever he is, and have a strange frenemy relationship where they love to hang out and wax poetic over their crush while also competing over who can impress him the most.
Which sounds like I just described Tenchi Muyo, a series that this reminded me a lot of. Well, if you took the male lead completely out of the equation and focused on the two girls instead. And made them weirder.
Kirio is not exactly non-existent, but he is a focal point for the girls rather than for the reader. There are plenty of vague hints that he is just a completely normal classmate who these two elevate to nonsensical heights. There are even moments that suggest that he’s not really that impressive.
It certainly puts the spotlight on Aimi and Nami, whose overboard obsession makes this some of the cringiest comedy I’ve read in a long time. I think their behaviour can border on obnoxious, but good lord is it ever funny.
This leads off, yes it begins in narrative earnest, with a dead serious conversation about farts so loud that they could kill and desire to get into Kirio’s ‘fart zone’. It just goes downhill from there.
Some of the gags in this are wild and occasionally inventive. The section with the cake eating monkey feels like a real ass pull until it all coalesces into something very close to beauty.
Nami is the more outgoing of the pair, while Aimi may be in the running for meanest human being in Japan (allegedly). The way they deal with themselves, other rivals (her chapter is another one that just delivers gag after gag), and various competitions between themselves is ridiculously good.
That, however, is provided you can stand the two of them and that is definitely where some people will find this too much. Nami and Aimi are having fun, but they can also go so hard that they become grating at times. I think the laughs make up for it, but I see the other side.
If you do like it? It’s a good time. Even the bonus comic is a very silly bon mot with wicked joke density. At any rate, it’s absolutely worth checking out the volume to see if you like it. For the right sort of reader this is a real riot.
4 stars - for the people this works for? Absolutely amazing. I do think that those less inclined to spend time with these two it would be an utter slog. Still, it surprised me in a good way.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this book from the publisher (Kodansha) on Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
“What I wouldn’t give to be a speck of pollen.” Aimi/Nami when they learn their crush Kirio has seasonal allergies. Yep. Just a teaser of what you can expect from this manga about two girls who really really like their classmate, Kirio. They are friends… well for most, until their love for Kirio rears its head and they start arguing, trying to one-up the other (like listing all the things they like and one of them just lists all his organs), but in the end still come together as friends. I have to say I had fun at the start but then it slowly just got too much/too cringe and it got stale for me. I found myself looking at the page numbers to see how far I was.
Each chapter is a new bit in their love for Kirio. The first is all about a jacket left behind. The second is about nose bleeds and getting to the infirmary. The third is about dreams and summoning Kirio in your dreams (which made laugh as one of the girls has the most hardcore ritual). The fourth is girl mathing and watching him play soccer. The next is them having a date with Kirio… haha no. They are just pretending and I have to say this was the weakest of the chapters for me because it just felt way too desperate. I mean these girls are already desperate but this was just a step too much. It falls in the same category as kissing your pillow and thinking it is your love interest. And then the next was even worse as they were just horrendous about a girl who was close to Kirio (not dating just friends) and talking smack about her even thinking about putting up rumours, I just found that so disrespectful. I get that they like Kirio, but come on. Be nice. The next chapter was a bit better but mostly because we saw Satsuki, Momose, Kirio together and talk about things, it was very refreshing. But we are also back at our girl duo who are comparing who likes Kirio the most which just made me roll my eyes. There is also a bonus story which I did think was cute and felt more like the first one in vibes.
As you can see my interest in the story just lessened as I read. At first I found it funny. At first I thought it was cringe but OK I could understand loving a guy (or girl) and crushing on them. But it just got a bit too much and I just didn’t really get what was so great about the guy. Maybe if we had seen some more of him other than him in class, getting nosebleeds, playing soccer, and see him do something grand or fantastic I would have gotten it more.
The art was pretty good, I did like the weird ass faces the girls made at times, it reminded me of another manga which had gorgeous art and then suddenly would do weird stuff.
So yeah, if you want a manga about two girls totally obsessing in a weird/creepy/cringe/over the top way then I can recommend this one. Otherwise, not so much.
Review first posted on https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
“What I wouldn’t give to be a speck of pollen.” Aimi/Nami when they learn their crush Kirio has seasonal allergies. Yep. Just a teaser of what you can expect from this manga about two girls who really really like their classmate, Kirio. They are friends… well for most, until their love for Kirio rears its head and they start arguing, trying to one-up the other (like listing all the things they like and one of them just lists all his organs), but in the end still come together as friends. I have to say I had fun at the start but then it slowly just got too much/too cringe and it got stale for me. I found myself looking at the page numbers to see how far I was.
Each chapter is a new bit in their love for Kirio. The first is all about a jacket left behind. The second is about nose bleeds and getting to the infirmary. The third is about dreams and summoning Kirio in your dreams (which made laugh as one of the girls has the most hardcore ritual). The fourth is girl mathing and watching him play soccer. The next is them having a date with Kirio… haha no. They are just pretending and I have to say this was the weakest of the chapters for me because it just felt way too desperate. I mean these girls are already desperate but this was just a step too much. It falls in the same category as kissing your pillow and thinking it is your love interest. And then the next was even worse as they were just horrendous about a girl who was close to Kirio (not dating just friends) and talking smack about her even thinking about putting up rumours, I just found that so disrespectful. I get that they like Kirio, but come on. Be nice. The next chapter was a bit better but mostly because we saw Satsuki, Momose, Kirio together and talk about things, it was very refreshing. But we are also back at our girl duo who are comparing who likes Kirio the most which just made me roll my eyes. There is also a bonus story which I did think was cute and felt more like the first one in vibes.
As you can see my interest in the story just lessened as I read. At first I found it funny. At first I thought it was cringe but OK I could understand loving a guy (or girl) and crushing on them. But it just got a bit too much and I just didn’t really get what was so great about the guy. Maybe if we had seen some more of him other than him in class, getting nosebleeds, playing soccer, and see him do something grand or fantastic I would have gotten it more.
The art was pretty good, I did like the weird ass faces the girls made at times, it reminded me of another manga which had gorgeous art and then suddenly would do weird stuff.
So yeah, if you want a manga about two girls totally obsessing in a weird/creepy/cringe/over the top way then I can recommend this one. Otherwise, not so much.
Review first posted on https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
March 4, 2026
I did not expect to enjoy this so much. It's goofy and silly with a surprisingly serious undertone as you have to wonder if Nami and Aimi really are that into Kirio or if their purported love is masking something else and simply providing an excuse for them to hang out. More of a 3.5, but I'm happy to round up based on the near-wordless final chapter alone.
March 20, 2026
Aimi and Nami are best friends with one big thing in between them: Kirio. The boy they are both crushing on. Granted neither of them have told him and this is mostly because they spend most of their time arguing about who loves him more. Will they ever find the courage (or the time) to tell him or will they just argue about it until it's too late?
This was not just funny it was surprisingly sweet. When I first started reading it I genuinely thought it was going to devolve into them actually fighting over him (which I mean hey maybe it might) but honestly it was just them coming up with these completely off the wall situations where they would prove how much they "loved" him. Or hypothetical situations where he loves them. Either way I am absolutely not ashamed to admit that me and my bestie had these same exact debates over cute boys when we were in middle school too.
The art matched all of their hilarious hypotheticals perfectly as well. I honestly, can't imagine this not being a manga it just would not have been the same without the art. I really love that we never see Kirio's face too, I kind of sort of hope we never do to be honest. It makes the story more about the girls' imagination and their friendship.
I will definitely be reading book two and I am so happy this is going to be an anime because I think it will be a lot of fun!
As always thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the eArc!
This was not just funny it was surprisingly sweet. When I first started reading it I genuinely thought it was going to devolve into them actually fighting over him (which I mean hey maybe it might) but honestly it was just them coming up with these completely off the wall situations where they would prove how much they "loved" him. Or hypothetical situations where he loves them. Either way I am absolutely not ashamed to admit that me and my bestie had these same exact debates over cute boys when we were in middle school too.
The art matched all of their hilarious hypotheticals perfectly as well. I honestly, can't imagine this not being a manga it just would not have been the same without the art. I really love that we never see Kirio's face too, I kind of sort of hope we never do to be honest. It makes the story more about the girls' imagination and their friendship.
I will definitely be reading book two and I am so happy this is going to be an anime because I think it will be a lot of fun!
As always thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the eArc!
April 19, 2026
• ARC Review •
[Kirio Fan Club Vol 1 ]
🔥 Release Date: [Apr 28 2026] 🔥
Thank you to Kodansha Comics, Chikyu no Osakana Ponchan, and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
★★☆☆☆
This was… okay? Kirio Fan Club Vol. 1 is a manga with an interesting premise and some decent artwork, but it struggled to hold my attention overall.
The central dynamic around Aimi and Nami's obsession starts to feel repetitive fairly quickly, and the story ends up circling the same beats without much progression. Because of that, the pacing can feel a bit stuck at times.
I actually found myself more interested in Kirio, Satsuki, and Momose whenever they appeared, especially since they only really get meaningful focus toward the end. That side of the story had more energy and felt more engaging than the main loop.
There’s potential here, and I can see what it’s aiming for, but the execution didn’t fully land for me. I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series.
[Kirio Fan Club Vol 1 ]
🔥 Release Date: [Apr 28 2026] 🔥
Thank you to Kodansha Comics, Chikyu no Osakana Ponchan, and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
★★☆☆☆
This was… okay? Kirio Fan Club Vol. 1 is a manga with an interesting premise and some decent artwork, but it struggled to hold my attention overall.
The central dynamic around Aimi and Nami's obsession starts to feel repetitive fairly quickly, and the story ends up circling the same beats without much progression. Because of that, the pacing can feel a bit stuck at times.
I actually found myself more interested in Kirio, Satsuki, and Momose whenever they appeared, especially since they only really get meaningful focus toward the end. That side of the story had more energy and felt more engaging than the main loop.
There’s potential here, and I can see what it’s aiming for, but the execution didn’t fully land for me. I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series.
March 11, 2026
In Kirio Fanclub we meet two high school friends, Aimi and Nami, who both happen to be crushing on the same guy. Recipe for disaster, am I right? What follows is a stream of unfortunate and sometimes hilarious events. This was an okay read, nothing outstanding which is a shame because I thought I would like it more. While at moments it was cringy in a funny way, the story felt repetitive after a while.
Thank you to Chikyu no Osakana Ponchan, Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Kirio Fanclub Vol. 1 will be out 28th of April!
Thank you to Chikyu no Osakana Ponchan, Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Kirio Fanclub Vol. 1 will be out 28th of April!
May 22, 2026
Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha for this advanced copy.
Oh my God, this manga was silly to the core yet kept me guessing for the background story.
Well, let's start...
Honestly, this comedy manga was a same difference with usual comedy manga, which was leaning on "Miscommunication" trope. And what made it funnier? It was the additional "Delusion" trope.
Aimi and Nami was close friend. They both had crush on Kirio. And as Aimi was a delusional girl to the core. Nami was there, supporting her friend even more to her delusion about being with Kirio. Both of them feeding each other delusion and it was a pure comedy.
For me, the expression of the characters on this manga was really good. Not being exaggerated, like usual gag manga. And the funniest part was Kirio's face never shown up.
Afterall, I really liked this manga. I will definitely continue reading the sequel.
Oh my God, this manga was silly to the core yet kept me guessing for the background story.
Well, let's start...
Honestly, this comedy manga was a same difference with usual comedy manga, which was leaning on "Miscommunication" trope. And what made it funnier? It was the additional "Delusion" trope.
Aimi and Nami was close friend. They both had crush on Kirio. And as Aimi was a delusional girl to the core. Nami was there, supporting her friend even more to her delusion about being with Kirio. Both of them feeding each other delusion and it was a pure comedy.
For me, the expression of the characters on this manga was really good. Not being exaggerated, like usual gag manga. And the funniest part was Kirio's face never shown up.
Afterall, I really liked this manga. I will definitely continue reading the sequel.
May 20, 2026
Thank you Kodansha & NetGalley for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this.
It is over the top silly and funny, with pretty art. The girls are a super fun duo, such a cute friendship with a healthy dose of rivalry.
I really liked the air of mystery with Kiro, we don’t know what he looks like or why they really like him but we get hints that there is definitely more to this infatuation and i am interested to see how it will continue.
I really enjoyed this.
It is over the top silly and funny, with pretty art. The girls are a super fun duo, such a cute friendship with a healthy dose of rivalry.
I really liked the air of mystery with Kiro, we don’t know what he looks like or why they really like him but we get hints that there is definitely more to this infatuation and i am interested to see how it will continue.
March 3, 2026
This was a miss for me. The FMCs were unlikable (especially Aimi) and tended to juvenile bathroom humor that just wasn't funny. (Farts and nose picking, for example.)
The MMC barely interacted with them and unfortunately wasn't very interesting. The only interesting character, Satsuki came in towards the end. Unfortunately, she isn't enough to keep me reading.
Also, the friendship between Aimi and Nami seems very one sided. Nami feels like she could be pleasant if Aimi weren't so mean and kinda crazy (not in a fun way.)
Recommended for pre-teen boys? Since that's the humor level.
The MMC barely interacted with them and unfortunately wasn't very interesting. The only interesting character, Satsuki came in towards the end. Unfortunately, she isn't enough to keep me reading.
Also, the friendship between Aimi and Nami seems very one sided. Nami feels like she could be pleasant if Aimi weren't so mean and kinda crazy (not in a fun way.)
Recommended for pre-teen boys? Since that's the humor level.
March 5, 2026
Recieved an advanced copy on Netgalley, thanks so much!
When I tell you I was laughing the entire time I was reading this, I don't think I've ever read something as hilarious as this story. Aimi and Namis comedic rivalry is the best! They really remind you of real life best friends that argue. I am curious about where their obsession with Kirio actually comes from, because it's got to be deeper than they let on. This gives off School Rumbe, Tenchi Muyo, Mob Psycho vibes. I'd love to see this made into an anime. Great job!
When I tell you I was laughing the entire time I was reading this, I don't think I've ever read something as hilarious as this story. Aimi and Namis comedic rivalry is the best! They really remind you of real life best friends that argue. I am curious about where their obsession with Kirio actually comes from, because it's got to be deeper than they let on. This gives off School Rumbe, Tenchi Muyo, Mob Psycho vibes. I'd love to see this made into an anime. Great job!
March 28, 2026
he’s literally just a man
May 16, 2026
[thank you to netgalley for the advanced reader copy]
This was a slice of life comedy romance manga about two girls who have a crush on the same guy. Unfortunately this was kind of a miss for me. The plot wasn’t strong enough to grip me and I wasn’t really connected to the characters. Even though it was a fun read and the style is actually quite nice, I was hoping for a little more.
Recommend to people who want a short quick read especially since the chapters are very short!
3⭐️
January 7, 2025
3,5/5
Marrant et décalé sur deux jeunes filles amoureuses du même garçon, mais leur amitié est ce que quoi ce manga se concentre avec leurs discussions autour de lui
Marrant et décalé sur deux jeunes filles amoureuses du même garçon, mais leur amitié est ce que quoi ce manga se concentre avec leurs discussions autour de lui
May 5, 2026
3 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC for honest review.
Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it too much, it was kinda boring. But I did like the last few chapters at the end. It was funny and sweet.
The friendship and rivalry they have between each other is cute tho.
Still, I’m keen to find out what happens next
Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC for honest review.
Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it too much, it was kinda boring. But I did like the last few chapters at the end. It was funny and sweet.
The friendship and rivalry they have between each other is cute tho.
Still, I’m keen to find out what happens next
March 7, 2026
I appreciate Netgally for giving me a copy for an honest review.
I didn’t really enjoy this that much. I felt it very repetitive on what was going on I got lost. I was starting to get bored over the plot and wanted to DNF. I did like the girls friendship but over all thought this was a very cringy story and don’t think I’d continue the series.
I didn’t really enjoy this that much. I felt it very repetitive on what was going on I got lost. I was starting to get bored over the plot and wanted to DNF. I did like the girls friendship but over all thought this was a very cringy story and don’t think I’d continue the series.
July 23, 2026
Boogers. Farts. Bad Dreams. Allergies. Mathematical conspiracy theories. Aimi Miyoshi and Nami Sometani discuss, debate, and cogitate on any and every topic, with the aim of validating their one-sided affection for a certain male classmate: Kirio. The challenge? Aimi and Nami are complete idiots. Full stop.
KIRIO FAN CLUB v1 is a brilliant manga that dutifully fills an especially niche gap in literary storytelling: girls will be girls. Aimi and Nami are hilarious contradictions; the girls are as awkward as they are obsessive, and they're as strikingly gratuitous as they are dedicated to compromise. They'll insult one another repeatedly, in bold attempts to justify how much they love their dear classmate Kirio, only to realize, in a fit of true absurdism, that neither of them could be so open and honest had they not one another to argue with in the first place. This manga examines in full each weird, gross, sociopathic, and maddeningly comical exploit of a teenage girlhood in the crux of youth.
Aimi has long, dark hair, speaks brusquely, and holsters a decidedly brute-force brand of private affection. Nami, with a bob of lighter-colored hair, is more social and more cerebral, but is prone to affecting conversation to the heights of ridiculousness with the most placid expressions. In KIRIO FAN CLUB v1, these two girls spend most (all?) of their free time gabbing about their male classmate (e.g., he's on the soccer team, so it's time to gawk), what they'd love to do with him (e.g., playing the "I want to…" game until sunset), and the lengths to which they'd go to keep him close (e.g., faking a stomach ache and going to the nurse's office).
The manga's brilliance is manifold. First, Aimi and Nami are idiots. They flub impossibly simple tasks and are constantly showing their cards whenever a legitimate opportunity arises to actually befriend the guy they both like. It's a classic case of: These girls could succeed if they wanted to, but in the end, they're just too damn stupid.
Second, the girls' constant bickering isn't a bug, it's a feature. Aimi and Nami are best friends and best rivals. It's no accident that in pretending they need to go to the school nurse (to comfort Kirio, who has a nosebleed), the girls' stream-of-consciousness conversation trundles headlong from pretend injury to gift for Kirio to pretend injury (again) to a five-page debate on nose-picking.
Third, the manga's closing episodes reveal the starting possibility that Kirio (whose face is conveniently obscured throughout the book), isn't entirely ignorant of his admirers. Kirio and his pal Momose, on the soccer team, chat regularly, and sometimes that includes talking about girls. But the point here isn't that Kirio is aware of these co-protagonist girls, it's that everyone else is, too.
Furthermore, in the context of this unnamed high school in this unnamed Japanese city, readers are posed one hilarious and embarrassing query: What if Kirio isn't actually special? What if he's just ... a guy? KIRIO FAN CLUB v1 threatens to telegraph its end-game a little too early, but the logical exercise is fun nonetheless. These girls spend so much of their time and energy bonding over some rando, one must ask: Who would they be if they didn't have their dear Kirio to fawn over?
KIRIO FAN CLUB v1 is a brilliant manga that dutifully fills an especially niche gap in literary storytelling: girls will be girls. Aimi and Nami are hilarious contradictions; the girls are as awkward as they are obsessive, and they're as strikingly gratuitous as they are dedicated to compromise. They'll insult one another repeatedly, in bold attempts to justify how much they love their dear classmate Kirio, only to realize, in a fit of true absurdism, that neither of them could be so open and honest had they not one another to argue with in the first place. This manga examines in full each weird, gross, sociopathic, and maddeningly comical exploit of a teenage girlhood in the crux of youth.
Aimi has long, dark hair, speaks brusquely, and holsters a decidedly brute-force brand of private affection. Nami, with a bob of lighter-colored hair, is more social and more cerebral, but is prone to affecting conversation to the heights of ridiculousness with the most placid expressions. In KIRIO FAN CLUB v1, these two girls spend most (all?) of their free time gabbing about their male classmate (e.g., he's on the soccer team, so it's time to gawk), what they'd love to do with him (e.g., playing the "I want to…" game until sunset), and the lengths to which they'd go to keep him close (e.g., faking a stomach ache and going to the nurse's office).
The manga's brilliance is manifold. First, Aimi and Nami are idiots. They flub impossibly simple tasks and are constantly showing their cards whenever a legitimate opportunity arises to actually befriend the guy they both like. It's a classic case of: These girls could succeed if they wanted to, but in the end, they're just too damn stupid.
Second, the girls' constant bickering isn't a bug, it's a feature. Aimi and Nami are best friends and best rivals. It's no accident that in pretending they need to go to the school nurse (to comfort Kirio, who has a nosebleed), the girls' stream-of-consciousness conversation trundles headlong from pretend injury to gift for Kirio to pretend injury (again) to a five-page debate on nose-picking.
Third, the manga's closing episodes reveal the starting possibility that Kirio (whose face is conveniently obscured throughout the book), isn't entirely ignorant of his admirers. Kirio and his pal Momose, on the soccer team, chat regularly, and sometimes that includes talking about girls. But the point here isn't that Kirio is aware of these co-protagonist girls, it's that everyone else is, too.
Furthermore, in the context of this unnamed high school in this unnamed Japanese city, readers are posed one hilarious and embarrassing query: What if Kirio isn't actually special? What if he's just ... a guy? KIRIO FAN CLUB v1 threatens to telegraph its end-game a little too early, but the logical exercise is fun nonetheless. These girls spend so much of their time and energy bonding over some rando, one must ask: Who would they be if they didn't have their dear Kirio to fawn over?
June 26, 2026
Never have I felt so seen in a romantic comedy. Sure, there are plenty of people who just have strong feelings and behave irrationally, choosing to bottle their emotions, leading to misunderstandings, miscommunication, and the onset of hilarity. But rarely has anyone so perfectly captured true romantic irrationality—pure crazy. Not just crazy, my kind of crazy. Aimi & Nami know exactly what they are, but they don't care. Their love is stronger than any reasonable thought they might have about how to behave. How should they return Kirio's lost jacket? Who deserves to be the one to do it? Who truly loves everything about Kirio? These are the important questions Aimi & Nami ask, the exact same ones I'd be asking myself were I one of them. Can't wait to see what hijinks these girls get up to in the volumes to come.
On a more artistic note, hiding Kirio's face from view every time he is on the page is a very solid artistic choice. It truly emphasizes the irrationality of Aimi & Nami's behavior. Could we as the audience see Kirio's face, we'd either completely dismiss their feelings as overzealous because he just looked okay, or worse, ugly, or we'd agree with their rationalizations constantly, recognizing how overpowering his beauty is to any reasonable thought. By hiding his face, we see how ludicrous Aimi & Nami truly behave because we can entertain both possible scenarios: an average/subpar Kirio, or an Adonis among men. The audience can truly appreciate all criticisms of and supports for their behavior by not truly being able to determine whether or not they deem Kirio worthy of such adamant affections.
On a more artistic note, hiding Kirio's face from view every time he is on the page is a very solid artistic choice. It truly emphasizes the irrationality of Aimi & Nami's behavior. Could we as the audience see Kirio's face, we'd either completely dismiss their feelings as overzealous because he just looked okay, or worse, ugly, or we'd agree with their rationalizations constantly, recognizing how overpowering his beauty is to any reasonable thought. By hiding his face, we see how ludicrous Aimi & Nami truly behave because we can entertain both possible scenarios: an average/subpar Kirio, or an Adonis among men. The audience can truly appreciate all criticisms of and supports for their behavior by not truly being able to determine whether or not they deem Kirio worthy of such adamant affections.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a very nostalgic manga for me. I really enjoyed it, but I can also see that it might feel a bit strange to readers who haven’t gone through a similar phase in their lives.
When I was younger, I had a huge crush on a boy (he was actually my classmate), but honestly, I doubt he even knew I existed. Still, I behaved a lot like the two girls in this manga. My thoughts revolved around things like: “His hair looks so nice today,” “Why isn’t he looking at me?” “Why doesn’t he notice me?” and “What could I do to make him notice me?” My whole inner world kind of revolved around that crush. Because of that, I could really understand our protagonists.
This manga will probably resonate much more with girls than with boys. Some boys might find the whole thing a bit silly or over the top, but that kind of “fangirling” experience is something many girls have gone through at some point, and the manga captures it very well.
The story is full of humor and has a light, sometimes slightly childish tone. At its heart, it’s about the friendship between two girls who share the same boy crush. They support each other, compete with each other, and come up with little games and silly ways to decide who “loves him more.” It’s chaotic, funny, and very relatable if you’ve ever been in that phase.
Overall, it’s a fun and charming manga that mixes humor, friendship, and the awkward intensity of young crushes in a way that feels both playful and oddly nostalgic.
When I was younger, I had a huge crush on a boy (he was actually my classmate), but honestly, I doubt he even knew I existed. Still, I behaved a lot like the two girls in this manga. My thoughts revolved around things like: “His hair looks so nice today,” “Why isn’t he looking at me?” “Why doesn’t he notice me?” and “What could I do to make him notice me?” My whole inner world kind of revolved around that crush. Because of that, I could really understand our protagonists.
This manga will probably resonate much more with girls than with boys. Some boys might find the whole thing a bit silly or over the top, but that kind of “fangirling” experience is something many girls have gone through at some point, and the manga captures it very well.
The story is full of humor and has a light, sometimes slightly childish tone. At its heart, it’s about the friendship between two girls who share the same boy crush. They support each other, compete with each other, and come up with little games and silly ways to decide who “loves him more.” It’s chaotic, funny, and very relatable if you’ve ever been in that phase.
Overall, it’s a fun and charming manga that mixes humor, friendship, and the awkward intensity of young crushes in a way that feels both playful and oddly nostalgic.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Manga | School Crush | Delusional
Thank you to Kodansha Comics for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
•Plot: Kirio Fan Club 1 girls is about two female friends who become rivals over wanting to get close to their crush, who is the same mysterious guy.
•What I liked: The cover is exactly how he’s shown in the manga; his face is always hidden. This draws less attention to him and more attention to how absurd the girls act over him.
•What didn’t work for me: The pacing is very slow. The girls take random meanings and believe their crush is indirectly in love with them, confirming that they’re meant to be without really interacting with him. For example, one of the girls draws meaning from his jersey number, saying he loves her by reversing the numbers and adding theories behind it.
•Themes / Ideas: Mysterious male, competition for love confession, delusional crush.
•Who I’d recommend it to: If you’re obsessed with someone, maybe seeing these two girls behave strangely will make you feel less obsessed with them.
Overall/Thoughts: Two school girls are obsessed over a mysterious guy, where they draw conclusions and are delusional about him being in love with them. He somewhat knows they exist, but there are no hints of him having any feelings towards either of them.
Thank you to Kodansha Comics for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
•Plot: Kirio Fan Club 1 girls is about two female friends who become rivals over wanting to get close to their crush, who is the same mysterious guy.
•What I liked: The cover is exactly how he’s shown in the manga; his face is always hidden. This draws less attention to him and more attention to how absurd the girls act over him.
•What didn’t work for me: The pacing is very slow. The girls take random meanings and believe their crush is indirectly in love with them, confirming that they’re meant to be without really interacting with him. For example, one of the girls draws meaning from his jersey number, saying he loves her by reversing the numbers and adding theories behind it.
•Themes / Ideas: Mysterious male, competition for love confession, delusional crush.
•Who I’d recommend it to: If you’re obsessed with someone, maybe seeing these two girls behave strangely will make you feel less obsessed with them.
Overall/Thoughts: Two school girls are obsessed over a mysterious guy, where they draw conclusions and are delusional about him being in love with them. He somewhat knows they exist, but there are no hints of him having any feelings towards either of them.
May 17, 2026
As I’m typically not a big fan of comedy focused series, I was a bit hesitant to pick this one up at first. When I heard glowing reviews from some of my friends I decided to add it to my collection… And I’m glad I did!
Reading Kirio Fan Club felt like stepping into a time machine and catching up with my middle school self. The series focuses on the friendship of two high school girls who share a crush on their classmate, Kirio. Thankfully, rather than have this shared interest spark a rivalry between the two girls, it instead brings about a unique way for them to bond.
Throughout the volume, we see the girls playfully try to decide who likes Kirio more. From deciphering the numbers on his jersey while playing sports, to developing rituals to help dream of him, it seems like there’s nothing off limits when it comes to him. I found this to be so incredibly refreshing and relatable, as it really is nice to have a friend who you can gush to about your crush! As neither of them are actively pursuing him, they are able to be delusional and fantasize about him together.
The comedy in this series comes from the girls being absolutely delusional when it comes to Kirio. There is a good mix of comedy, from over exaggerated facial expressions, to body comedy, to childish jokes, to nonsensical jokes… but when they’re all mixed together, they somehow work beautifully.
One more thing I found to be unique about this series is that we are never actually shown Kirio’s face. Though his name is in the title, this is not a series about him. Kirio’s character is there just to highlight how good the girls’ friendship is, and it allows them to shine. While we are shown him from the back from time to time, it’s always made absolutely clear that he really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things—this is a story about friendship.
I have a feeling that the story will go on to become deeper, and focus more and more on the girls’ relationship, but even if it doesn’t, i’ll be happy to keep reading on.
Here’s hoping for more female friendship focued stories!
Reading Kirio Fan Club felt like stepping into a time machine and catching up with my middle school self. The series focuses on the friendship of two high school girls who share a crush on their classmate, Kirio. Thankfully, rather than have this shared interest spark a rivalry between the two girls, it instead brings about a unique way for them to bond.
Throughout the volume, we see the girls playfully try to decide who likes Kirio more. From deciphering the numbers on his jersey while playing sports, to developing rituals to help dream of him, it seems like there’s nothing off limits when it comes to him. I found this to be so incredibly refreshing and relatable, as it really is nice to have a friend who you can gush to about your crush! As neither of them are actively pursuing him, they are able to be delusional and fantasize about him together.
The comedy in this series comes from the girls being absolutely delusional when it comes to Kirio. There is a good mix of comedy, from over exaggerated facial expressions, to body comedy, to childish jokes, to nonsensical jokes… but when they’re all mixed together, they somehow work beautifully.
One more thing I found to be unique about this series is that we are never actually shown Kirio’s face. Though his name is in the title, this is not a series about him. Kirio’s character is there just to highlight how good the girls’ friendship is, and it allows them to shine. While we are shown him from the back from time to time, it’s always made absolutely clear that he really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things—this is a story about friendship.
I have a feeling that the story will go on to become deeper, and focus more and more on the girls’ relationship, but even if it doesn’t, i’ll be happy to keep reading on.
Here’s hoping for more female friendship focued stories!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Kirio Fan Club is a cute, fun, and definitely wacky start to a series. The premise is straightforward—two girls, Aimi and Nami, are rivals in their obsession with a classmate named Kirio—but as you get into it, you realize there’s a lot more going on than just a simple crush.
By the end of the first volume, I actually had more questions than answers. Everyone seems to be hiding something, and that undercurrent of mystery is what really kept me reading. I especially loved the choice to never actually show Kirio’s face. Keeping him clouded in mystery and treating him like this untouchable object of obsession was a great touch that added to the overall "off-beat" vibe of the story.
If I’m being honest, I wish it had been funnier. It’s definitely a bit "silly," but for a premise this out-there, I wanted more laugh-out-loud moments. I even found myself skimming a few pages because the humor didn't always land for me.
However, the curiosity factor is high. I really want to know what these characters are hiding and what the deal is with Kirio. It’s a solid 4 stars for me because it did exactly what a first volume should: it made me want to pick up the next one just to get some answers.
By the end of the first volume, I actually had more questions than answers. Everyone seems to be hiding something, and that undercurrent of mystery is what really kept me reading. I especially loved the choice to never actually show Kirio’s face. Keeping him clouded in mystery and treating him like this untouchable object of obsession was a great touch that added to the overall "off-beat" vibe of the story.
If I’m being honest, I wish it had been funnier. It’s definitely a bit "silly," but for a premise this out-there, I wanted more laugh-out-loud moments. I even found myself skimming a few pages because the humor didn't always land for me.
However, the curiosity factor is high. I really want to know what these characters are hiding and what the deal is with Kirio. It’s a solid 4 stars for me because it did exactly what a first volume should: it made me want to pick up the next one just to get some answers.
Read
May 20, 2026Kirio Fan Club was such a fun read. I rate it 4.5/5 starts. I genuinely laughed out loud so many times while reading it. The humor really worked for me, but what I ended up loving most was the relationship between Nami and Aimi.
They're rivals/friends that both have a crush on Kirio, but instead of their relationship becoming overly dramatic, they end up spending all this silly, fun time together. I loved seeing them pretend to go on dates with Kirio, come up with ridiculous ways they want to spend time with him, and argue over who loves him more or who has liked him longer. Their dynamic is chaotic in the best way, and somehow also really sweet.What made me adore them even more is that even though they compete over Kirio, they still support each other. Whenever one of them starts feeling insecure or thinks she is not good enough for him, the other is always there cheering her up. The art is great too. I especially loved all of Aimi’s exaggerated expressions because they made the comedy even funnier.
I’m definitely excited to pick up the next one, and now I want to check out the anime too. I’m looking forward to learning more about all the characters.
They're rivals/friends that both have a crush on Kirio, but instead of their relationship becoming overly dramatic, they end up spending all this silly, fun time together. I loved seeing them pretend to go on dates with Kirio, come up with ridiculous ways they want to spend time with him, and argue over who loves him more or who has liked him longer. Their dynamic is chaotic in the best way, and somehow also really sweet.What made me adore them even more is that even though they compete over Kirio, they still support each other. Whenever one of them starts feeling insecure or thinks she is not good enough for him, the other is always there cheering her up. The art is great too. I especially loved all of Aimi’s exaggerated expressions because they made the comedy even funnier.
I’m definitely excited to pick up the next one, and now I want to check out the anime too. I’m looking forward to learning more about all the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2026
Nami and Aimi are friends….and rivals. While they look like typical inseparable best friends on the surface, both of them are fighting for the love of Kirio, their classmate, even though he doesn’t acknowledge any of them. While navigating through their everyday classes, meeting new friends (or rivals?) and their common obsession a single question lingers between them: Who loves Kirio the most?
This whole story felt really fresh and unique. Having read many slice of life and romance novels in my life this manga’s take on the genres was really interesting, especially how the character that’s in the eye of the hurricane of the story is shown more as a faceless extra than as a main character. As for the rest of the characters, they all had their own personalities very well outlined and defined giving the figure of Kirio an even deeper sense of mystery making my curiosity spike up more.
The interactions between our two main girls felt funny, the story felt light and easy to digest, the side characters were intriguing and the plot twist at the end of the manga left me wanting more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!
This whole story felt really fresh and unique. Having read many slice of life and romance novels in my life this manga’s take on the genres was really interesting, especially how the character that’s in the eye of the hurricane of the story is shown more as a faceless extra than as a main character. As for the rest of the characters, they all had their own personalities very well outlined and defined giving the figure of Kirio an even deeper sense of mystery making my curiosity spike up more.
The interactions between our two main girls felt funny, the story felt light and easy to digest, the side characters were intriguing and the plot twist at the end of the manga left me wanting more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!
March 20, 2026
Kirio Fanclub is a cringy yet fun manga that gives off major The Office vibes, mostly because of how painfully awkward the lead characters are. The story follows two professional office workers, Mizuki and Kawase, who are secretly obsessed with a low-tier YouTuber named Kirio. I enjoyed the premise for what it was, watching these two grown women stalk Kirio's social media for sightings and frantically try to collect his obscure merchandise while maintaining their professional reputation is hilarious. It perfectly captures that second hand embarrassment of modern stan culture.
Overall, the art is solid and there are plenty of fun moments, though the repetitive cycle of them almost getting caught or competing to be the best fan starts to get a bit stale toward the end. The gag and jokes are a bit of a one-trick pony, but it moves quickly enough to stay entertaining. It’s definitely a solid, worth checking out series if you're looking for a decent comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Overall, the art is solid and there are plenty of fun moments, though the repetitive cycle of them almost getting caught or competing to be the best fan starts to get a bit stale toward the end. The gag and jokes are a bit of a one-trick pony, but it moves quickly enough to stay entertaining. It’s definitely a solid, worth checking out series if you're looking for a decent comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kirio Fan Club is a romantic comedy of sorts. Aimi and Nami are friends and they both have a crush on a boy named Kirio. Thus they have this fan club for him and they compete in loving the guy, who basically doesn't even know who these girls are. The girls do weird things as try to summon Kirio in their dreams and whatnot. But, when they talk about their feelings for him? The other one lies. This was a nice decision and I hope there's more to the plot than loving Kirio. Of course the manga isn't about the crush really, but more like the friendship and rivalry between Aimi and Nami, their thoughts and other philosophical aspects that are a part of being young.
The art looks nice and I especially love the facial expressions and how the girls' relationship is depicted art-wise. The manga is six books long, which seems a good length, since the topic cannot go on forever. Still, I wanted more depth in the series and less childish bickering. The friendship is the best part by far! Gladly Kirio is quite faceless though. That was awesome.
The art looks nice and I especially love the facial expressions and how the girls' relationship is depicted art-wise. The manga is six books long, which seems a good length, since the topic cannot go on forever. Still, I wanted more depth in the series and less childish bickering. The friendship is the best part by far! Gladly Kirio is quite faceless though. That was awesome.
April 29, 2026
Here there are two friends who share the same crush… but their level of being in love is honestly through the roof. Like, they do and say some pretty obsessive things (not really invasive), but definitely unhinged in a funny way. Think writing his name over and over before sleeping or even recording little messages like “dream about him” just to influence their dreams. It’s actually... hilarious.
I also really liked that we never fully see the crush’s face (Kirio), even though we still get scenes of him with his friends and that stuff. And the small details in everyone’s personalities make the story even more interesting. At the same time, there are little things left unanswered, which makes me want to pick up the next volume soon. I do have to admit some moments felt a bit (a lot) cringe… but they are teenagers, so it makes sense.
And I can’t help but wonder what will happen if one of them actually gets closer to him… will their friendship fall apart or is it going in a completely different direction?
I also really liked that we never fully see the crush’s face (Kirio), even though we still get scenes of him with his friends and that stuff. And the small details in everyone’s personalities make the story even more interesting. At the same time, there are little things left unanswered, which makes me want to pick up the next volume soon. I do have to admit some moments felt a bit (a lot) cringe… but they are teenagers, so it makes sense.
And I can’t help but wonder what will happen if one of them actually gets closer to him… will their friendship fall apart or is it going in a completely different direction?
June 15, 2026
Puuuuuh, weird…. 😂😂 Ich weiß nicht so recht, wie ich das Gefühl in Worte fassen soll.. ich fand die Inhaltsangabe sehr witzig, weswegen ich reinlesen wollte.. aber nun denk ich mir, hätte ich's doch lieber gelassen 🤣 im Grunde geht es um Nami und Aimi, die irgendwie beste Freundinnen sind, gleichzeitig aber auch Rivalen - denn sie sind beide nach dem selben Jungen verrückt: Kirio. Von dem sieht man nie das Gesicht, lediglich Nase und Mund, was auch irgendwie etwas strange ist. Genauso wie die ganzen Derpfaces (eigentlich mag ich sowas ja, aber hier war's etwas zu viel 😂). Die beiden führen immer wieder ganz seltsame Unterhaltungen.. und schaukeln sich dann gegenseitig extrem hoch, dass sie in absolute Absurdität abdriften 🫣 also ja, an manchen Stellen ist's schon ganz witzig… aber nach ner Weile hab ich dann einiges überflogen, weil der Kontext einfach zu strange war. Also ja.. einerseits bin ich schon ein wenig neugierig, wie's weitergeht.. aber andererseits ist's mir auch einfach zu viel des guten 😂
Hat den vielleicht sonst noch jemand gelesen und will darüber reden..? 👀 😶
Hat den vielleicht sonst noch jemand gelesen und will darüber reden..? 👀 😶
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Kirio Fan Club vol 1 by Chikyu no Osakana Ponchan - This book brought back such strong junior high vibes! The way these two girls bonded over their adoration of their classmate reminded me so much of talking about boy band crushes back in school. There’s two chapters with some gross out humor (also a hallmark of junior high); the worst one is at the very beginning of the book, and mentioned in the publisher’s summary. That said, the bulk of the book is just silly moments between two unlikely friends who are so fervently in love with the idea of love that they end up doing and thinking the most ridiculous over the top things while the object of their desires wanders in and out of the scenes completely oblivious. It’s laugh out loud funny and very endearing. I look forward to the next book!
Notes:
-Gross jokes
-Third person following both girls
-Realistic drawing style
-No romance
Notes:
-Gross jokes
-Third person following both girls
-Realistic drawing style
-No romance
March 11, 2026
First I would like to thank Kodansha, NetGalley, and the author for providing me with a sample to read.
Honestly, I thought I was going to like this book more given the description but it just didn't do it for me. The description makes a reference to the male lead's "farts" and makes it seem like it would be the whole story but it really only talks about it in one chapter which I suppose is a good thing. Onto the actual story, it's just two girls going through a random sequence of events involving the male lead and the chapters start to get repetitive after that. While some of the bits were somewhat funny it doesn't really do enough to keep me hooked and want to read more of the story.
It's a bit similar to WataMote where it rehashes the same joke over and over again so if you didn't like this I don't think you'd like this one either.
Honestly, I thought I was going to like this book more given the description but it just didn't do it for me. The description makes a reference to the male lead's "farts" and makes it seem like it would be the whole story but it really only talks about it in one chapter which I suppose is a good thing. Onto the actual story, it's just two girls going through a random sequence of events involving the male lead and the chapters start to get repetitive after that. While some of the bits were somewhat funny it doesn't really do enough to keep me hooked and want to read more of the story.
It's a bit similar to WataMote where it rehashes the same joke over and over again so if you didn't like this I don't think you'd like this one either.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Aimi and Nami have a crush on a boy in their class, Kirio. Neither of them has ever tried to approach him, and they’ve barely spoken to him, but that doesn’t stop them from filling their days with imagining scenarios where he would notice them. Only problem is, he would have to pick one of them, which leads to daily fights over which one is worthy of him. The answer usually is neither one.
This is a story of friendship, not a romance. The only thing that matters is the girls’ imaginings, and the real Kirio barely features. When he does, his face is never shown. It’s a good start to a series, if a tad monotonius, as the girls never progress to action. But on the background, Kirio has maybe noticed them. Art was good. No farts whatsoever featured. But if they did, the girls would still love him.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a story of friendship, not a romance. The only thing that matters is the girls’ imaginings, and the real Kirio barely features. When he does, his face is never shown. It’s a good start to a series, if a tad monotonius, as the girls never progress to action. But on the background, Kirio has maybe noticed them. Art was good. No farts whatsoever featured. But if they did, the girls would still love him.
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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