What do you think?
Rate this book
俺物語!! [Ore Monogatari!!] #1
Ore Monogatari!! ¡¡Mi historia de amor!!, vol. 1
Takeo Gouda es un estudiante de primer año de instituto. Mide dos metros y pesa 120 kilos (más o menos). Todas las chicas que le gustan acaban perdiendo la cabeza por Sunakawa, su guapo amigo de la infancia. ¡Pero al no tener pelos en la lengua, ser torpe y decidido, es muy popular entre los chicos! Una mañana, Takeo salva a una chica cuando estaba siendo acosada en el tren de camino al instituto. ¿Puede ser que le haya llegado el amor al fin?
200 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2012
65 people are currently reading
2419 people want to read
About the author
Kazune Kawahara
164 books289 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews
December 23, 2025
Sloughing off the statistical realities of actuarial senescence, a blindly partisan stupidity (ie. Me) thrashes seismically beneath the lithified sediments of deranged recommendation algorithms, unsolicited opinions, thinly veiled attempts to hold hands in Walmart parking lots, and genuine consternation surrounding its (ie. My) sudden termination of chaotic divulgences designed to attack and subvert the very pillars of communal sense making, and rousts its sorry ass from the pancreatic damages of sustained Cinnamon Toast Crunch attack in order to push this masterpiece of saccharine love comedy up through the compacted, bioclastic rock of sclerotic shojo manga formations, (although I see - contra the Vesuvius of howling sanctimony which will soon follow - that this series is well reviewed/received, but if you think that will stop me from conducting myself as if the universe has singled me out for the dispensation of acute sensitivities which allow me to circumvent the apparatus of commercial assimilation, then you just sit right back and watch how nimbly the mind resolves contradictions in order to synthesize new orthodoxies as I achieve such a pitch of illegitimate agitation that I create an insuperable mess in my adult diapees), so that its strong hand may grip the wheel of your peripatetic, TikTok induced attentional saccades, (and here I can’t help but note that in cultivating a distinct personal style on this platform I have habituated myself to parenthetically leapfrogging in a manner which may be analogous to the aforementioned national security risk) with enough force to close a Captains of Crush No. 4 Gripper (rated @365 pounds and who no one has been certified on since Magnus Samuelson, in 2004, wrung its knurled handles like he was trying to eject the biological machinery of an adult armadillo through its asshole so explosively that this fast moving pellet of viscera could embed itself into a ballistics gel dummy at problematic depth) and steer it (while your wandering mind fights so viciously that one eye drifts maddeningly to the left like a botched tit job imitating the strabismic optometry of chameleons.), violently, with enough concussive power to disfigure the most hoary veterans of voluntary Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy leagues the world over (ie. Slap Fighting Championships), while periodically perturbing the barometric pressure of our shared environment with forceful molecular expulsions from my buccal cavity (ie. Verbal abuse).
To say that this genre of manga, whose military objective is adolescent females and those of us whose adolescent Valentine’s days were full of crushing insights into the potency of certain memetic poisons (and how this knowledge is rendered utterly feeble in the face of saphallic proximity to symbolic milk chocolates), cleaves to certain tropes would be the equivalent of demoting the second law of thermodynamics to a mere suggestion. That our heroine will approximate the behavior of a doe-eyed doormat with an inflammatory skin condition surrounding the nose and cheeks is a given. That there will be an androgynous pretty boy of neck-wringing insouciance whose diametric opposition to aurofacial asymmetry practically screams, “Take your sorry, axially twisted asses and Yakovlevian torque your cerebrum, mate.” Who rebuffs her affections until the the financial viability of the product forces a lousy rapprochement - a statistical likelihood. That the various geometries of mixed feelings will come tumbling out in all their platonic forms as if shot from the chain mail dice bag of a venerable Dungeon Master hit by a rogue wheel freshly separated from a speeding semi-truck while double checking for the pair of blue twenty sided dice he has come to affectionately call, “The Smurf Nuts.” Due to their uncanny ability to both roll and confirm critical hits and thus lay low many adventurers in the prime of their lives. Love-tetrahedrons being the least of these gambling devices, the sum of whose sides always adds up to a shibboleth of this medium. That there will be an inadvertent saliva transaction which involves a drink or food item which enters into a polygamous gastrointestinal relationship with two of our mains which perforce triggers disorienting, often mutual, revaluations about the sacred nature of oral mucosa - a probability on par with the continued expansion of this review to accommodate scenarios which bear increasingly little resemblance to any known manga but which amuse and delight me. That polar opposite personalities will attempt to coalesce, and in so doing, perpetuate the staggeringly idiotic idea that seeking someone you have nothing in common with is a viable orienting strategy for navigating the shrieking madness of life. That a wallflower will emerge whose beauty is so obvious that Clark Kent’s glasses appear like the perfect disguise next to her contrived circumspection. That a tsundere fox yokai with a heart of gold will bewitch the class president by strategically marking her while she sleeps, (sometimes up to 70 times an hour), using it’s superior intelligence and supernatural verbal IQ to convince the normally perspicacious ice queen, upon those rare instances in which she awakens to the sensation of a vigorous spritzing, that there’s nothing inherently wrong with what’s happening, “After all, fresh urine is perfectly sterile.” That there will be a biblical level of miscommunication in which Yahweh confounds all attempts at sense making by toppling semantic ziggurats like a bellicose Michael J. Fox on Jenga night, as punishment for hubristic defiance of sensible prohibitions against building really big Gunpla. *This continues on interminably in the background*
So in what way does this particular work of romantic fufu’ing manage to, if not free itself, remain on the periphery of the Shoujo singularity’s non-event horizon? To which I would direct your attention to the impressive, parabolic trajectory generated by the meaty calves of our main protagonist - Takeo Goda. Whose physical traits stand in such stark contrast to the typical effete, Calvin Klein soyboy, or emo-fringe sporting metrosexual, that it is no longer possible to imagine a scenario in which our heroine is robbed at knife point for her chicken tendies while her parasocial, Men’s Health cover model cringes behind her and compounds the humiliation by asking if they’d also like some sauce, stating, “It doesn’t fit my macros anyway, bro.” Here we have instead a young man who appears to be the result of frightening sexual congress between a champion Mongolian wrestler and an industrial refrigerator. (A useful visual approximation of this imposing amalgam is the rikishi Hakuhō Shō. Former Yokozuna, and widely considered to be one of the best to have ever pulled a fellow competitor’s Mawashi so far up his ass that it had be be surgically extracted.) Who we can empirically verify would not hand over sauce without a fight, as our manga begins with attempted tendy arrogation (in a manner of speaking) in the form of a train groper who attempts a lascivious sleight-of-tender on our main heroine, before being apprehended by the towering Takeo and subsequently made to piss out of his neck for the rest of his life.
In addition to a possessing a forehead which can drive a nail through hardwood flooring, hands as big as lunchboxes, legs as thick as a peanut butter milkshake, and a posterior chain/core so robust they would make legendary Strongmen weep as if they had witnessed the holy trinity doing squats, presses, and deadlifts (respectively), he doesn’t - contra the image of alpha males promulgated by certain members of pharmaceutical camps who dispense caplets of distinctive color associated with charging bulls, (although I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that bulls are actually colorblind and the main irritation is not the color red but the aggressive whipping of the Muleta by the Matador, which would (and does) piss me off too), find deep fulfillment in accruing larger harems with which to staff seedy webcam agencies, but is actually full of genuine solicitude, self-sacrifice, and deep, abiding love - which, for my money, is SIGMA AF.
What the hell am I talking about?
If Takeo has a million fans, then I am one of them. If Takeo has one fan, then I am that one. If Takeo has no fans, that means I’m dead.
To say that this genre of manga, whose military objective is adolescent females and those of us whose adolescent Valentine’s days were full of crushing insights into the potency of certain memetic poisons (and how this knowledge is rendered utterly feeble in the face of saphallic proximity to symbolic milk chocolates), cleaves to certain tropes would be the equivalent of demoting the second law of thermodynamics to a mere suggestion. That our heroine will approximate the behavior of a doe-eyed doormat with an inflammatory skin condition surrounding the nose and cheeks is a given. That there will be an androgynous pretty boy of neck-wringing insouciance whose diametric opposition to aurofacial asymmetry practically screams, “Take your sorry, axially twisted asses and Yakovlevian torque your cerebrum, mate.” Who rebuffs her affections until the the financial viability of the product forces a lousy rapprochement - a statistical likelihood. That the various geometries of mixed feelings will come tumbling out in all their platonic forms as if shot from the chain mail dice bag of a venerable Dungeon Master hit by a rogue wheel freshly separated from a speeding semi-truck while double checking for the pair of blue twenty sided dice he has come to affectionately call, “The Smurf Nuts.” Due to their uncanny ability to both roll and confirm critical hits and thus lay low many adventurers in the prime of their lives. Love-tetrahedrons being the least of these gambling devices, the sum of whose sides always adds up to a shibboleth of this medium. That there will be an inadvertent saliva transaction which involves a drink or food item which enters into a polygamous gastrointestinal relationship with two of our mains which perforce triggers disorienting, often mutual, revaluations about the sacred nature of oral mucosa - a probability on par with the continued expansion of this review to accommodate scenarios which bear increasingly little resemblance to any known manga but which amuse and delight me. That polar opposite personalities will attempt to coalesce, and in so doing, perpetuate the staggeringly idiotic idea that seeking someone you have nothing in common with is a viable orienting strategy for navigating the shrieking madness of life. That a wallflower will emerge whose beauty is so obvious that Clark Kent’s glasses appear like the perfect disguise next to her contrived circumspection. That a tsundere fox yokai with a heart of gold will bewitch the class president by strategically marking her while she sleeps, (sometimes up to 70 times an hour), using it’s superior intelligence and supernatural verbal IQ to convince the normally perspicacious ice queen, upon those rare instances in which she awakens to the sensation of a vigorous spritzing, that there’s nothing inherently wrong with what’s happening, “After all, fresh urine is perfectly sterile.” That there will be a biblical level of miscommunication in which Yahweh confounds all attempts at sense making by toppling semantic ziggurats like a bellicose Michael J. Fox on Jenga night, as punishment for hubristic defiance of sensible prohibitions against building really big Gunpla. *This continues on interminably in the background*
So in what way does this particular work of romantic fufu’ing manage to, if not free itself, remain on the periphery of the Shoujo singularity’s non-event horizon? To which I would direct your attention to the impressive, parabolic trajectory generated by the meaty calves of our main protagonist - Takeo Goda. Whose physical traits stand in such stark contrast to the typical effete, Calvin Klein soyboy, or emo-fringe sporting metrosexual, that it is no longer possible to imagine a scenario in which our heroine is robbed at knife point for her chicken tendies while her parasocial, Men’s Health cover model cringes behind her and compounds the humiliation by asking if they’d also like some sauce, stating, “It doesn’t fit my macros anyway, bro.” Here we have instead a young man who appears to be the result of frightening sexual congress between a champion Mongolian wrestler and an industrial refrigerator. (A useful visual approximation of this imposing amalgam is the rikishi Hakuhō Shō. Former Yokozuna, and widely considered to be one of the best to have ever pulled a fellow competitor’s Mawashi so far up his ass that it had be be surgically extracted.) Who we can empirically verify would not hand over sauce without a fight, as our manga begins with attempted tendy arrogation (in a manner of speaking) in the form of a train groper who attempts a lascivious sleight-of-tender on our main heroine, before being apprehended by the towering Takeo and subsequently made to piss out of his neck for the rest of his life.
In addition to a possessing a forehead which can drive a nail through hardwood flooring, hands as big as lunchboxes, legs as thick as a peanut butter milkshake, and a posterior chain/core so robust they would make legendary Strongmen weep as if they had witnessed the holy trinity doing squats, presses, and deadlifts (respectively), he doesn’t - contra the image of alpha males promulgated by certain members of pharmaceutical camps who dispense caplets of distinctive color associated with charging bulls, (although I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that bulls are actually colorblind and the main irritation is not the color red but the aggressive whipping of the Muleta by the Matador, which would (and does) piss me off too), find deep fulfillment in accruing larger harems with which to staff seedy webcam agencies, but is actually full of genuine solicitude, self-sacrifice, and deep, abiding love - which, for my money, is SIGMA AF.
What the hell am I talking about?
If Takeo has a million fans, then I am one of them. If Takeo has one fan, then I am that one. If Takeo has no fans, that means I’m dead.
August 6, 2025
I am going to teach a comics/graphic novel class this summer focused on girls again, so I thought I'd check out something I almost never read, shojo manga (Japanese comics for girls, mainly). This is an adorably sweet story. Takeo is a large guy; girls seem generally to prefer his more conventionally good-looking (i. e., hot) best friend, Sunakawa (Suna).
Takeo gallantly protects stranger Yamato from a guy on a train, and Yamato bakes him some cake in gratitude. Which he eats with her in the presence of Suna. She forgets her phone with Takeo, she bakes him another sweet dessert to thank him for returning it, which Takeo eats in the presence of both of them. Yamato seems to like Takeo, but he naturally assumes she really likes Suna, which is what usually happens. But surprise!
Suna is indifferent about the attraction girls have for him. Suna's sister gets involved in questioning whether Yamato is really sincere, but over time it is clear she is. Totally cute, sweet, melts in your mouth like cotton candy! A beautiful story emerging.
Takeo gallantly protects stranger Yamato from a guy on a train, and Yamato bakes him some cake in gratitude. Which he eats with her in the presence of Suna. She forgets her phone with Takeo, she bakes him another sweet dessert to thank him for returning it, which Takeo eats in the presence of both of them. Yamato seems to like Takeo, but he naturally assumes she really likes Suna, which is what usually happens. But surprise!
Suna is indifferent about the attraction girls have for him. Suna's sister gets involved in questioning whether Yamato is really sincere, but over time it is clear she is. Totally cute, sweet, melts in your mouth like cotton candy! A beautiful story emerging.
August 9, 2025
I've heard this was a good shojo manga, but it exceeded my expectations.
The first volume is funny, cute, and heart-warming. I've tried other shojo manga before, but the standard trope of an ikemen (handsome male character) lead didn't appeal to me. Subverting that trope with the Takeo, made this more interesting and relatable.
The first volume is funny, cute, and heart-warming. I've tried other shojo manga before, but the standard trope of an ikemen (handsome male character) lead didn't appeal to me. Subverting that trope with the Takeo, made this more interesting and relatable.
June 20, 2015
This manga is cute as hell.
It's so cute and fluffy, that I was laughing and going aww that the same time. And believe me, that's a first. I shall call it; the-cutes-laugh.
It's so nice to see that the strong male lead isn't the normal hot manga male cliché. ( You all know what I'm talking about -insert eye roll here-) Sure his best-friend is, but hell, he has the emotions of a rock. Well in the first volume at least. As I read more (volumes, I couldn't stop!), you get a better since of the best friend, and why they are so.
This story is about that nice guy, the one that always gets passed over. He isn't the best looking guy, nor the worst. But be has a heart of pure gold and on reflex, helps whomever and wherever he can.
This is a story I've been waiting for. As in mains, there is some resembles to Kelley Armstrong’s -Darkest Powers Trilogy: The Reckoning, The Summoning, The Awakening- Cleo and Drake. Though, maybe not so much in personalities, but just in the dynamics of the two.
This is a sweet love story, full of fluff, misunderstanding, friendship, and loyalty, that's all tied together with laugh out loud humor, you can't go wrong.
Give it a read, you'll know what I'm talking about in the first page!
Happy Reading
-Emily
It's so cute and fluffy, that I was laughing and going aww that the same time. And believe me, that's a first. I shall call it; the-cutes-laugh.
It's so nice to see that the strong male lead isn't the normal hot manga male cliché. ( You all know what I'm talking about -insert eye roll here-) Sure his best-friend is, but hell, he has the emotions of a rock. Well in the first volume at least. As I read more (volumes, I couldn't stop!), you get a better since of the best friend, and why they are so.
This story is about that nice guy, the one that always gets passed over. He isn't the best looking guy, nor the worst. But be has a heart of pure gold and on reflex, helps whomever and wherever he can.
This is a story I've been waiting for. As in mains, there is some resembles to Kelley Armstrong’s -Darkest Powers Trilogy: The Reckoning, The Summoning, The Awakening- Cleo and Drake. Though, maybe not so much in personalities, but just in the dynamics of the two.
This is a sweet love story, full of fluff, misunderstanding, friendship, and loyalty, that's all tied together with laugh out loud humor, you can't go wrong.
Give it a read, you'll know what I'm talking about in the first page!
Happy Reading
-Emily
February 16, 2016
I read this on Feb 14. A perfect day to read an excellent romantic comedy manga.
The story and main characters are unconventional. Readers only need a few chapters to be engaged with them. No need to wait long to have a warm-heart story and the author gives a (first) story climax on Volume 1. I even thought the story ended at that point, because the climax is so good.
I am not a romance fan but I must admit, this manga is a must read for general manga/comic reader.
The story and main characters are unconventional. Readers only need a few chapters to be engaged with them. No need to wait long to have a warm-heart story and the author gives a (first) story climax on Volume 1. I even thought the story ended at that point, because the climax is so good.
I am not a romance fan but I must admit, this manga is a must read for general manga/comic reader.
October 2, 2015
Goodreads recommended me this based on something else goodreads recommended me which I'm glad for. I've never read anything as cute and pure and squeal worthy. this made my day.
January 21, 2024
➺
4/5 🌟
Please, this first volume is just so much fun. This is not the common shoujo manga where the main male character is an ikemen (handsome male character). Takeo is actually kind of a dense, kind-hearted buffoon. He's not physically the conventional main character, but this is much more interesting to see. It's so funny to see the ikemen bestfriend always just there, on the background, third wheeling. And that last part where he asked his bestfriend to practice kissing on him so he wouldn't mess up with his girlfriend when the time comes. I literally laughed out loud at that part. And the way the mangaka drew it is just so hilarious.
I really think I'm going to have fun with this series.
Please, this first volume is just so much fun. This is not the common shoujo manga where the main male character is an ikemen (handsome male character). Takeo is actually kind of a dense, kind-hearted buffoon. He's not physically the conventional main character, but this is much more interesting to see. It's so funny to see the ikemen bestfriend always just there, on the background, third wheeling. And that last part where he asked his bestfriend to practice kissing on him so he wouldn't mess up with his girlfriend when the time comes. I literally laughed out loud at that part. And the way the mangaka drew it is just so hilarious.
I really think I'm going to have fun with this series.
October 21, 2018
My husband brought this high school romantic comedy manga series home from the library and almost fell off the couch laughing. Then I started reading it and ALSO almost fell off the couch laughing. So, protective gear is advisable?
It starts by subverting your expectations. Takeo, the giant bruiser who would normally be the sidekick, is the romantic lead. The glamorous looking cool guy is a secondary character, Takeo's infinitely patient best friend Sunakawa. When Takeo falls in love with Yamato, this tiny, cute girl in his grade, it becomes clear that both parties are 100% clueless about dating, in the most mutually devoted and entertaining way. If it weren't for the periodic intervention of Sunakawa, it's anybody's guess what would become of this poor couple.
It's refreshing, sweet, and well worth the 12 not-overly-long volumes. This was our most anticipated series for a couple of years until it concluded.
It starts by subverting your expectations. Takeo, the giant bruiser who would normally be the sidekick, is the romantic lead. The glamorous looking cool guy is a secondary character, Takeo's infinitely patient best friend Sunakawa. When Takeo falls in love with Yamato, this tiny, cute girl in his grade, it becomes clear that both parties are 100% clueless about dating, in the most mutually devoted and entertaining way. If it weren't for the periodic intervention of Sunakawa, it's anybody's guess what would become of this poor couple.
It's refreshing, sweet, and well worth the 12 not-overly-long volumes. This was our most anticipated series for a couple of years until it concluded.
May 10, 2022
takeo gouda and makato sunakawa are the BESTEST boys around. and rinko yamato? she’s the BESTEST girl around.
i loved the anime so i knew i would love this just as much. ore monotagari just makes me feel so warm and fuzzy and giddy inside.
i loved the anime so i knew i would love this just as much. ore monotagari just makes me feel so warm and fuzzy and giddy inside.
August 25, 2023
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/jmsPL9GTb58
Okay, I know this is a shoujo ROMANCE, but can we take a moment to appreciate the BROMANCE in this first volume?!
Wow! Definitely one of the best male/male friendships I've seen in shoujo manga! (I think the runner-up would be Shortcake Cake since that's the first one that comes to mind because it's REALLY good too!) I absolutely love how much Suna looks out for Takeo and wants him to be happy. There were a few pages where I felt the tear works just like the characters because Suna really is a special friend. <3
Takeo is nothing like any shoujo hero I've read before! I do think it's a little jilting(?) at first in how physically he is not like Suna, so it took me a few pages, but honestly, Takeo quickly won me over because he really is super cool! I love how caring he is and how he also wants Suna to be happy and is even willing to put his own happiness (Takeo) to the side so Suna can be happy. Plus, he's just a lot of fun! I really appreciate how straightforward he is and is quick to act. He may not think it, but he's perfect boyfriend material for our heroine!
And speaking of, I really like Yamato! She is SO sweet and loved how she wanted to be honest with Takeo that she is not as "pure" as he might have imagined her to be (even though girl, you still/were are LOL). It was an interesting twist I didn't quite expect, but I am LOVING how these two are already communicating and embracing all the awkwardness of dating for the first time together. (Ha, though poor Suna with that ending though! LOL!)
Overall, this was a great first volume! Very much looking forward to reading more!
Okay, I know this is a shoujo ROMANCE, but can we take a moment to appreciate the BROMANCE in this first volume?!
Wow! Definitely one of the best male/male friendships I've seen in shoujo manga! (I think the runner-up would be Shortcake Cake since that's the first one that comes to mind because it's REALLY good too!) I absolutely love how much Suna looks out for Takeo and wants him to be happy. There were a few pages where I felt the tear works just like the characters because Suna really is a special friend. <3
Takeo is nothing like any shoujo hero I've read before! I do think it's a little jilting(?) at first in how physically he is not like Suna, so it took me a few pages, but honestly, Takeo quickly won me over because he really is super cool! I love how caring he is and how he also wants Suna to be happy and is even willing to put his own happiness (Takeo) to the side so Suna can be happy. Plus, he's just a lot of fun! I really appreciate how straightforward he is and is quick to act. He may not think it, but he's perfect boyfriend material for our heroine!
And speaking of, I really like Yamato! She is SO sweet and loved how she wanted to be honest with Takeo that she is not as "pure" as he might have imagined her to be (even though girl, you still/were are LOL). It was an interesting twist I didn't quite expect, but I am LOVING how these two are already communicating and embracing all the awkwardness of dating for the first time together. (Ha, though poor Suna with that ending though! LOL!)
Overall, this was a great first volume! Very much looking forward to reading more!
August 8, 2025
A couple months back, I read the 14th volume of this series that collects some coda stories about the cast in college, and it really made me want to revisit the series from the beginning.
I was a bit worried it wouldn't hold up a decade later, but gosh darn if I wasn't laughing and crying like a fool the whole time I read this incredible first volume. I just love the heroic doofus, Takeo Goda, his delightfully odd friendship with the enigmatic Makoto Sunakawa, and his sweet, pure, and gentle romance with Rinko Yamato (even though I'm an committed member of team Ai).
So funny, so earnest, so cheesy, so wonderful.
Must read more!
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Chapters 1-3
Rated “Good" in our old book database. First read March 22, 2015.
I was a bit worried it wouldn't hold up a decade later, but gosh darn if I wasn't laughing and crying like a fool the whole time I read this incredible first volume. I just love the heroic doofus, Takeo Goda, his delightfully odd friendship with the enigmatic Makoto Sunakawa, and his sweet, pure, and gentle romance with Rinko Yamato (even though I'm an committed member of team Ai).
So funny, so earnest, so cheesy, so wonderful.
Must read more!
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Chapters 1-3
Rated “Good" in our old book database. First read March 22, 2015.
July 9, 2018
The back cover description puts it best: “Takeo Goda is a giant guy with a giant heart.” He’s big and tough and macho and incredibly sweet and caring. He’s best friends with handsome Sunakawa, who is incredibly attractive to the ladies. On their way home from school on the train,Takeo notices a girl being harassed, and steps in to rescue her. The girl, Yamato, is incredibly grateful, and it soon becomes clear that she thinks he's cute. Takeo resigned himself to being Sunakawa’s gruff, loveable sidekick long ago, so he’s not sure what to make of the situation. Can it be that romance has found him at last?
This was really sweet. Takeo is such a loveable oaf that you can't help but root for him. He's blunt and direct, but incredibly charming in his own way. And Sunakawa is a better friend than he seems at first. Honestly, all of the characters are loveable in this book. It may not be particularly subtle. It's sappy and sweet, but I’m really liking it so far. Recommended!
This was really sweet. Takeo is such a loveable oaf that you can't help but root for him. He's blunt and direct, but incredibly charming in his own way. And Sunakawa is a better friend than he seems at first. Honestly, all of the characters are loveable in this book. It may not be particularly subtle. It's sappy and sweet, but I’m really liking it so far. Recommended!
August 16, 2022
I want to cry this is SO FUCKIN CUTE 😭🥹💖
April 26, 2021
The storyline, the characters, the comedy and the friendship dynamics are all *chef's kiss*.
I enjoyed this manga tremendously! Takeo is such a sweetheart, I want someone like him.
I can't wait to get volume 2!! I heard many good things about this manga.
I enjoyed this manga tremendously! Takeo is such a sweetheart, I want someone like him.
I can't wait to get volume 2!! I heard many good things about this manga.
May 25, 2022
Cute and sweet, but it ended so well, I feel no drive to read the rest. I’m just going to bask in the HEA.
3, very sweet, stars.
3, very sweet, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2019
4.3 Stars
I can't believe I found a Shojo I actually really like. This is so cute and pure!
Yes, I'm going to break out of my edgelord self to say so.
I can't believe I found a Shojo I actually really like. This is so cute and pure!
Yes, I'm going to break out of my edgelord self to say so.
July 23, 2019
(*review for the whole series/vol. 1-13, spoilers abound)
This title made quite a splash a few years ago, mainly thanks to the hilarious and lovable Takeo ‘Half Superman Half Gorilla’ Gouda, a very atypical protagonist for a shoujo romantic comedy. There’s also the fact that instead of the prolonged ‘will-they-or-won’t-they-end-up-together’ drama, you already get the insanely adorable confession scene and the hook-up between Takeo and angelic cookie-baking girl, Yamato, right at the first volume.
Honestly, I think the manga already peaked at that moment.
Which is not to say the rest of the comic is bad—there’s still a lot to like, especially if bubbly rom-com with likable characters is your thing. However, as much as people like to complain about drawn out romance, there’s a reason why stories about chasing relationship are much more common than the ones about maintaining relationship. It’s simply a lot harder to maintain intrigue and reader’s interest when your story is about Happy Established Couple, instead of the usual scenario of lovesick boy/girl chasing their object of interest.
Even if you like following the ups and downs of an established couple’s life, My Love Story lacks the bite and bittersweet realism that tends to characterize the best kind of such story. Takeo might not be your typical shoujo manga lead, but he’s still a Perfect Boyfriend: masculine in the best of way, dependable, kind, selfless, and so goddamn pure. The two other major characters, Sunakawa and Yamato, also fit the role of Perfect Best Friend and Perfect Girlfriend respectively.
So yeah, at its core My Love Story is still a wish fulfillment romance with highly idealized characters. What makes it worth reading is that it’s a healthy wish fulfilment and the highly idealized characters do serve as good role models.
Oftentimes, the scenes between Takeo and Sunakawa actually overshadow the lovey-dovey romance between Takeo and Yamato, with the manga’s most moving parts being the ones showing how they look after each other throughout their long standing friendship. The comedy is also consistently strong, mostly thanks to Takeo’s endearingly hilarious mannerism. In the more serious moments, the comic did a great job presenting Takeo’s headspace as well as his insecurities, anxieties, and tendency to be too hard on himself in his attempt to be a better boyfriend, friend, son, and human being in general. Admittedly, the plotting could’ve been more creative, as it too often fell into the pattern of “Takeo’s feeling insecure! Now it’s Yamato who’s insecure! Love Rivals (who never have an actual chance) appear! Here’s a romance sub-plot between side characters who you don’t really care about!” Still, once in a while it threw a curveball you rarely see in similar teen love stories, such as the depiction of Suna as someone who’s truly comfortable in his own skin without having to be romantically paired with someone else.
Overall, it’s a love story that begins and ends at the happiest note possible, but there’s a lot below its bubbly surface. it’s also about dealing with your own sense of inadequacy, maintaining honest communication with your loved one, looking after your best friend, turning down romantic proposal in a gentle and kind way, being brave enough to confess, being mature enough to know when to not confess, and basically many other positive messages that I believe can truly help many teen readers traversing the perilous journey of first relationship (and make the older ones among us feeling nostalgic of the days past…).
This title made quite a splash a few years ago, mainly thanks to the hilarious and lovable Takeo ‘Half Superman Half Gorilla’ Gouda, a very atypical protagonist for a shoujo romantic comedy. There’s also the fact that instead of the prolonged ‘will-they-or-won’t-they-end-up-together’ drama, you already get the insanely adorable confession scene and the hook-up between Takeo and angelic cookie-baking girl, Yamato, right at the first volume.
Honestly, I think the manga already peaked at that moment.
Which is not to say the rest of the comic is bad—there’s still a lot to like, especially if bubbly rom-com with likable characters is your thing. However, as much as people like to complain about drawn out romance, there’s a reason why stories about chasing relationship are much more common than the ones about maintaining relationship. It’s simply a lot harder to maintain intrigue and reader’s interest when your story is about Happy Established Couple, instead of the usual scenario of lovesick boy/girl chasing their object of interest.
Even if you like following the ups and downs of an established couple’s life, My Love Story lacks the bite and bittersweet realism that tends to characterize the best kind of such story. Takeo might not be your typical shoujo manga lead, but he’s still a Perfect Boyfriend: masculine in the best of way, dependable, kind, selfless, and so goddamn pure. The two other major characters, Sunakawa and Yamato, also fit the role of Perfect Best Friend and Perfect Girlfriend respectively.
So yeah, at its core My Love Story is still a wish fulfillment romance with highly idealized characters. What makes it worth reading is that it’s a healthy wish fulfilment and the highly idealized characters do serve as good role models.
Oftentimes, the scenes between Takeo and Sunakawa actually overshadow the lovey-dovey romance between Takeo and Yamato, with the manga’s most moving parts being the ones showing how they look after each other throughout their long standing friendship. The comedy is also consistently strong, mostly thanks to Takeo’s endearingly hilarious mannerism. In the more serious moments, the comic did a great job presenting Takeo’s headspace as well as his insecurities, anxieties, and tendency to be too hard on himself in his attempt to be a better boyfriend, friend, son, and human being in general. Admittedly, the plotting could’ve been more creative, as it too often fell into the pattern of “Takeo’s feeling insecure! Now it’s Yamato who’s insecure! Love Rivals (who never have an actual chance) appear! Here’s a romance sub-plot between side characters who you don’t really care about!” Still, once in a while it threw a curveball you rarely see in similar teen love stories, such as the depiction of Suna as someone who’s truly comfortable in his own skin without having to be romantically paired with someone else.
Overall, it’s a love story that begins and ends at the happiest note possible, but there’s a lot below its bubbly surface. it’s also about dealing with your own sense of inadequacy, maintaining honest communication with your loved one, looking after your best friend, turning down romantic proposal in a gentle and kind way, being brave enough to confess, being mature enough to know when to not confess, and basically many other positive messages that I believe can truly help many teen readers traversing the perilous journey of first relationship (and make the older ones among us feeling nostalgic of the days past…).
February 25, 2023
Rumor has it this is a good romance manga. Apparently rumor has it good.
The Beauty and the Beast narrative choice is a nice change from standard shojos to start with even if it’s not unseen before. Of course the big-oaf-with-a-heart-of-gold and his cute-and-chill-best-friend are tropes of their own but somehow it flows easily. The character are so cute and nice that even my old cynical stone heart started to melt.
And, cherry on top, it’s actually funny. Takeo’s lack of intuition, clumsiness and exuberance leads to comical situations accentuated by contrast with Makoto’s insight and chill-out attitude. Makoto’s deadpan lines are often hilarious.
So far Rinko is somewhat subdued, relegated to the shy blushing girl role and Makoto’s sister Ai gets a better role. Let’s see how it evolves in the next volumes.
To sum it up: Fluffy, cute and fun.
The Beauty and the Beast narrative choice is a nice change from standard shojos to start with even if it’s not unseen before. Of course the big-oaf-with-a-heart-of-gold and his cute-and-chill-best-friend are tropes of their own but somehow it flows easily. The character are so cute and nice that even my old cynical stone heart started to melt.
And, cherry on top, it’s actually funny. Takeo’s lack of intuition, clumsiness and exuberance leads to comical situations accentuated by contrast with Makoto’s insight and chill-out attitude. Makoto’s deadpan lines are often hilarious.
So far Rinko is somewhat subdued, relegated to the shy blushing girl role and Makoto’s sister Ai gets a better role. Let’s see how it evolves in the next volumes.
To sum it up: Fluffy, cute and fun.
March 27, 2017
My Love Story!! is a romance manga with a twist of sorts - the heartthrob dude who the girls all like is not the main love interest, instead it's Takeo, his big lug pal who might normally be comic relief and support. Takeo meets a girl who actually likes him, and - after a blessedly short interlude full of the usual confusions - they get together for, I assume, many volumes of cute moments and face-palm misunderstandings. Artist Arako's loose, almost sketchy style has a dynamism that helps the story bounce along even when the situations are a little shopworn.
One of the most acclaimed and popular recent shojo mangas, My Love Story!! is interesting to me not so much for its plot - unlikely guy finds romance - but for how differently a manga aimed at boys would handle these ideas. There seem to be plenty of boys' romance manga in which the awkward, shy, emotionally damaged nice guy meets the special girl who understands him, and agonisingly drawn-out hijinks ensue. What's notable about My Love Story!! is that Takeo is a nice guy who is *actually nice*: considerate, a good listener, actively helpful and kind, and with no particular feeling of entitlement. Too good to be true? Maybe, but there are plenty of adolescent boys who could learn from this particular brand of wish fulfilment.
One of the most acclaimed and popular recent shojo mangas, My Love Story!! is interesting to me not so much for its plot - unlikely guy finds romance - but for how differently a manga aimed at boys would handle these ideas. There seem to be plenty of boys' romance manga in which the awkward, shy, emotionally damaged nice guy meets the special girl who understands him, and agonisingly drawn-out hijinks ensue. What's notable about My Love Story!! is that Takeo is a nice guy who is *actually nice*: considerate, a good listener, actively helpful and kind, and with no particular feeling of entitlement. Too good to be true? Maybe, but there are plenty of adolescent boys who could learn from this particular brand of wish fulfilment.
June 27, 2014
What a perfect summer read! It's light refreshing---and my new favorite magna. There are delightful situations and humorous characters that will steal your heart. This reminds me a little of the shrek-like storytelling as it does not fit your typical cute girl and cute boy meeting. Despite the fact that girls don't like Takeo---this book is that ever reminder that
Takeo was the absolutely sweetest, macho-est, lovable goof-ball ever. EVER. EVERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! I’m smiling just thinking about more adventures from him, and his interaction with everyone he knows. I won’t hesitate to tell all my manga readers to read this volume. I haven’t had this much reading fun with a sweet blend of tenderheartedness in a long time. Aruko's art is brillant, and I love how she makes the manly-ness of Takeo ‘bounce to its fullest life’ on each and every page. I'm usually not a shounen fan, but this shounen....
Thanks for the advanced read Edelweiss
March 17, 2015
I got an eBook copy of V3 of this series (*My Love Story!!**) from VIZ on Edelweiss, so I decided I wanted to read the 1st 2 volumes first before reading that. I wasn't so sure how much I'd enjoy the series, but I knew I wanted to try it. So, I put a hold on V1 & V2 at a library, and for them to come in. V2 came in, so that left me reading the scanslations for V1. I felt like Kidukiyo did a good job scanslating this volume, and I have really enjoyed reading this series so far.
---------------------
If you dislike *Insta-Love*, then you might want to stay away from this series. Takeo, our lonely protagonist, rescues a cute girl, Yamada, who is being "felt-up" on the train. After that, Yamada pretty much falls in love with Takeo within a matter of days, constantly bringing him homemade sweets to show her love. He's pretty dense, and their love is pretty sweet.
---------------------
If you dislike *Insta-Love*, then you might want to stay away from this series. Takeo, our lonely protagonist, rescues a cute girl, Yamada, who is being "felt-up" on the train. After that, Yamada pretty much falls in love with Takeo within a matter of days, constantly bringing him homemade sweets to show her love. He's pretty dense, and their love is pretty sweet.
August 2, 2016
I was grinning like an idiot the whole time I was reading this. It's sappy, but adorable, and has some really funny, silly parts (especially the character reactions). Definitely at the top of my list to keep reading.
October 3, 2014
awww this is all kinds of cute. look at these sweet dumbbells, they're made for each other. also until the story definitively shows otherwise i'm claiming suna for the ace corps. 3.5 stars
October 15, 2017
RESEÑA COMPLETA ➜ https://goo.gl/dicuLU
Si hay algo que caracteriza a Takeo es su aspecto ya que a diferencia de sus compañeros es gigantesco y poseedor de una gran fuerza física, pero al tener un aspecto tan abrumador que intimida hace que la gente desconozca el gran corazón que posee y es que el chico es la definición de bondad.
Su mejor amigo es Suna, quien a diferencia de Takeo posee una apariencia física espectacular que tiene enamoradas a todas las chicas pero Suna no es lo que se dice precisamente cálido sino todo lo contrario.
Aún con estas grandes diferencias Takeo y Suna son mejores amigos y pasan todo el tiempo juntos, aun cuando Takeo sabe que la gente, en especial las chicas lo ignoran cuando Suna está presente. Como es el caso de Yamato, una chica de secundaria que un día es acosada en el metro y a la que Takeo salva. A partir de ese momento Yamato se mostrará deseosa de volver a verlos pero Takeo sabe perfectamente que sólo lo hace para estar cerca de Suna y él es tan buena persona que está dispuesto ayudarla a ganarse el corazón de su amigo a pesar de que ella ya conquistó el suyo. Lo que Takeo no sabe, es que Yamato no ha puesto los ojos en Suna precisamente sino que lo quiere a él.
Ya les había dicho en instagram que Takeo era un protagonista shojo de lo más diferente que hay. Comencemos hablando primero de su aspecto. No sé ustedes pero es la primera vez que me encuentro con un protagonista de este género que no es el clásico chico guapo por el que todas babean y eso me da mucha risa. Recuerdo de hecho cuando el anime salió que alguien hizo un meme donde salían todos los galanes del shojo y Takeo donde obviamente el grandulón sale perdiendo, pero creo yo que el hecho de haberle dado ese aspecto es donde radica el encanto de la historia pues a pesar de no ser una belleza Takeo posee un corazón acorde a su gran tamaño. Un enorme corazón que conquista sin lugar a dudas...
RESEÑA COMPLETA ➜ https://goo.gl/dicuLU
December 8, 2018
Why I Recommend Moving This UP On Your TBR:
◆ The characters are great representations of what actual people are like.
◆ Takeo/Yamato are the literal best couple. They appreciate each other constantly, want to do right by the other, and have completely believable conflicts that reflect actual life.
◆ Takeo's friendship with Suna is friendship goals and I live reading about them.
◆ I laughed a lot while reading this volume.
◆ Yamato having physical/sexual desire for Takeo and speaking out about it and telling him she's not "pure" and the author making clear women don't have to be "pure" is everything.
Why You Might Move This Down On Your TBR:
◆ Violence isn't called out as much as I'd like, though Takeo does get suspended for punching someone.
◆ Yamato does play the damsel a couple of times in the beginning.
◆ Some of the situations Takeo finds himself in are unbelievable to the point of eye-rolling.
◆ The characters are great representations of what actual people are like.
◆ Takeo/Yamato are the literal best couple. They appreciate each other constantly, want to do right by the other, and have completely believable conflicts that reflect actual life.
◆ Takeo's friendship with Suna is friendship goals and I live reading about them.
◆ I laughed a lot while reading this volume.
◆ Yamato having physical/sexual desire for Takeo and speaking out about it and telling him she's not "pure" and the author making clear women don't have to be "pure" is everything.
Why You Might Move This Down On Your TBR:
◆ Violence isn't called out as much as I'd like, though Takeo does get suspended for punching someone.
◆ Yamato does play the damsel a couple of times in the beginning.
◆ Some of the situations Takeo finds himself in are unbelievable to the point of eye-rolling.
August 5, 2024
My hopes were high for this volume, since the concept looked interesting to me and I had heard good things about it. And i’m happy to say that this volume exceeded those expectations.
This volume had it all. Both the male mc’s are gigachad’s, the romance is wholesome as heck, and the comedy had me laughing throughout most of the volume. There was a tiny bit of drama, but it was resolved pretty quickly and resulted in some sweet moments. I related a bit to my boy Takeo’s struggle, so when he was taking W’s left and right it had me grinning like a mf.
This might be my new favourite romance manga honestly, depending on how the rest of the series plays out. Definitely my new favourite shojo manga though (although I don’t read too many shojo manga lol).
Excited to read more and i’m praying it stays this consistent throughout all 13 volumes🙏🏻
This volume had it all. Both the male mc’s are gigachad’s, the romance is wholesome as heck, and the comedy had me laughing throughout most of the volume. There was a tiny bit of drama, but it was resolved pretty quickly and resulted in some sweet moments. I related a bit to my boy Takeo’s struggle, so when he was taking W’s left and right it had me grinning like a mf.
This might be my new favourite romance manga honestly, depending on how the rest of the series plays out. Definitely my new favourite shojo manga though (although I don’t read too many shojo manga lol).
Excited to read more and i’m praying it stays this consistent throughout all 13 volumes🙏🏻
May 23, 2019
Una historia muy simple pero contada de forma encantadora.
PD: ¡Takeo bebé precioso de luz! 💜💜
PD: ¡Takeo bebé precioso de luz! 💜💜
November 29, 2024
Se la storia inizia con gente che picchia un molestatore, non potrà che essere una storia meravigliosa
November 1, 2018
Suuuuuper cute! And sweet. And funny. I'm not 100% sure I'm interested in reading the entire series (I might have been kind of burned by Kiss Him, Not Me), but I definitely really enjoyed this first volume, so...we'll see!
October 26, 2023
3.25/5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews