What do you think?
Rate this book
Gaba Kawa
Demons like Rara are supposed to cause mischief in the mortal world and draw humans to darkness. They're not supposed to help mortals and they're definitely not supposed to fall in love with them! But that's just what happens when Rara enters high school, where a hot guy named Retsu Aku calls her "Gaba Kawa"! While demons gain power by causing mischief, the opposite is also true--if Rara uses any of her powers to help mortals, she'll immediately lose that very power. If she loses enough power, she'll disappear! Poor Rara. What's a "Gaba Kawa" demon to do?
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 26, 2006
3 people are currently reading
328 people want to read
About the author
Rie Takada
102 books128 followersRie Takada ( 高田りえ) is a Japanese manga artist. She debuted in 1990 in the 17th issue of the manga anthology magazine Sho-Comi with the series SP girl. She still writes primarily for Sho-Comi, with her serialized works also published in collected volumes by Shogakukan, the company that publishes Sho-Comi.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 22, 2010
This was really cute. I love all of the chibi in this. Rara a demon has finally been able to go to human world where she thinks she can finally meet the demon that she admires so much. On her first day she meets Resu a very hot guy. All sorts of things happen to Rara she is not the most graceful demon and seems to get in all sorts of trouble.
If you like Rie Takada stories I suggested reading this. The only complaint I had was I wished it was longer.
If you like Rie Takada stories I suggested reading this. The only complaint I had was I wished it was longer.
July 2, 2020
Nothing too special. Just a whole lot of insta-love, copy/paste characters from previous series, and cliche moments. Everything else was okay.
I did like the general idea, up until the romance fluff ruined it all. I can understand some romance fluff but this was wayyy too much of that.
Thankfully this was just a one shot. I don’t think I would have read the next volume if there was one.
I did like the general idea, up until the romance fluff ruined it all. I can understand some romance fluff but this was wayyy too much of that.
Thankfully this was just a one shot. I don’t think I would have read the next volume if there was one.
May 28, 2025
3 stars. Old school manga feeling but made me laugh and had a unqiue/fun story. Complete with one volume, though it ended a bit quickly. I enjoyed it.
It does have 90s/00s manga issues like underwear showing and a somewhat problematic view of gay people, as Japanese manga did at the time.
It does have 90s/00s manga issues like underwear showing and a somewhat problematic view of gay people, as Japanese manga did at the time.
November 22, 2012
This. Was. So. Cute! I found myself saying “awww” and then right after saying that burst out in laughter. Gaba Kawa is a very funny read.
The characters were not exactly original but they were still able to keep me entertained and smiling. Rara was just hilarious! Her stupid ideas to be with her love and the embarrassing situations she got herself into were priceless! She had a very awkward, funny, and sweet personality(her being a demon just makes it even more funny). The love interest, Retsu was nothing special but I did grow fond of him. His love for Rara was cute when he did confess to her. The rest of the characters were all hilarious with all their stereotypical but loveable personalities. I felt like gathering up all of them for a big group hug.
The story was not something I have never seen before but was very cute and executed well. I very much-loved reading about Rara’s goal to get Retsu to fall in love with her. The only thing that bothered me was the insta-love that took place but that is easily forgotten. I think what made me love this manga so much was because of all the comedy. The comedy would just come at the most random times and I would crack up. I can not say how much I loved all the comedy. Gaba Kawa really took off when the conflict was introduced. The ending confused me though because Rara personality seemed to change drastically but it was a happy ending. Although it was not the most meaningful substance Gaba Kawa had a very light and enjoyable story.
The art was so cute and amazing. The mangaka had such a talent of putting just the right expression on the characters. The stupid and funny faces when the comedy happened, the cutesy OMG expressions when something cute and romantic happened, and the amazing art when the time called for it were all just amazing. The character designs were all great and I sometimes found myself just staring at some of the character’s designs. The art in Gaba Kawa is definitely something to look for!
Gaba Kawa is a very light and enjoyable story that had me smiling throughout reading it. Although it is not the most original manga it is definitely a cute and funny one.
The characters were not exactly original but they were still able to keep me entertained and smiling. Rara was just hilarious! Her stupid ideas to be with her love and the embarrassing situations she got herself into were priceless! She had a very awkward, funny, and sweet personality(her being a demon just makes it even more funny). The love interest, Retsu was nothing special but I did grow fond of him. His love for Rara was cute when he did confess to her. The rest of the characters were all hilarious with all their stereotypical but loveable personalities. I felt like gathering up all of them for a big group hug.
The story was not something I have never seen before but was very cute and executed well. I very much-loved reading about Rara’s goal to get Retsu to fall in love with her. The only thing that bothered me was the insta-love that took place but that is easily forgotten. I think what made me love this manga so much was because of all the comedy. The comedy would just come at the most random times and I would crack up. I can not say how much I loved all the comedy. Gaba Kawa really took off when the conflict was introduced. The ending confused me though because Rara personality seemed to change drastically but it was a happy ending. Although it was not the most meaningful substance Gaba Kawa had a very light and enjoyable story.
The art was so cute and amazing. The mangaka had such a talent of putting just the right expression on the characters. The stupid and funny faces when the comedy happened, the cutesy OMG expressions when something cute and romantic happened, and the amazing art when the time called for it were all just amazing. The character designs were all great and I sometimes found myself just staring at some of the character’s designs. The art in Gaba Kawa is definitely something to look for!
Gaba Kawa is a very light and enjoyable story that had me smiling throughout reading it. Although it is not the most original manga it is definitely a cute and funny one.
May 18, 2017
This one-volume manga follows the story of the demon, Rara, and her experiences in the human world. Because she is a demon, Rara is not allowed to fall in love with a human, however, she ends up falling for her male classmate, Retsu Aku, a handsome, athletic boy who has a paranormal sixth sense. The book tells of Rara's romantic quest/relationship with Aku and how she deals with the consequences of falling in love with him.
Age: Young Adult Reader (Ages 15-18)
Rating 4 out of 5 stars for:
Art:
Excellent art (definitely giving 4 out of 5 stars mostly for the art)! Takada has a very unique, distinct style that sets her work apart from other manga-kas. She has an incredible talent at inking darker tones, developing believable character expressions, and talent at drawing action scenes/motion and chibi figures. Found a huge portion of my time reading this novel just staring at the artwork.
Writing:
The character's personalities leaned toward the stereotypical side (hyper, love-struck girl and cool, aloof guy), however, their comical spontaneity is what makes this book worth the read! Not many overly deep emotions play out in this book, but it has a special, unpredictable charm to it nevertheless. If you enjoy campy cross-world romantic comedies, definitely give this book a go!
Recommended to mostly teens who enjoy reading light-hearted, teen romantic-comedy manga.
Age: Young Adult Reader (Ages 15-18)
Rating 4 out of 5 stars for:
Art:
Excellent art (definitely giving 4 out of 5 stars mostly for the art)! Takada has a very unique, distinct style that sets her work apart from other manga-kas. She has an incredible talent at inking darker tones, developing believable character expressions, and talent at drawing action scenes/motion and chibi figures. Found a huge portion of my time reading this novel just staring at the artwork.
Writing:
The character's personalities leaned toward the stereotypical side (hyper, love-struck girl and cool, aloof guy), however, their comical spontaneity is what makes this book worth the read! Not many overly deep emotions play out in this book, but it has a special, unpredictable charm to it nevertheless. If you enjoy campy cross-world romantic comedies, definitely give this book a go!
Recommended to mostly teens who enjoy reading light-hearted, teen romantic-comedy manga.
May 27, 2021
Cute One Volume Manga
I really enjoyed the manga artist's style so I picked up this one volume story, and overall, I thought it was fun. A demon comes to the human world to do demon things and ends up with a crush that could make her lose everything. She does some naughty things, but hey, she is a demon. I liked the art and that she did break the rules, as I'd expect from a demon. I would have read a longer series about her.
I really enjoyed the manga artist's style so I picked up this one volume story, and overall, I thought it was fun. A demon comes to the human world to do demon things and ends up with a crush that could make her lose everything. She does some naughty things, but hey, she is a demon. I liked the art and that she did break the rules, as I'd expect from a demon. I would have read a longer series about her.
January 17, 2011
This is very cute! Usually when I say a manga is cute, I mean it in a bad way, but not in this case. A nice light short story with cute art. Where have I not seen this before? Oh wait. Still, it's nothing extraordinary but it's tolerable. Don't expect deep life lessons or overwhelming emotions, though.
August 3, 2020
Re-reading this sweet one-shot is the perfect antidote for the blues.
Demons are sent to earth to cause mischief and evil but Rara is different. She finds herself falling for a human! Unfortunately, every time a demon uses their powers to help humans they grow weaker and weaker... What's a love-struck demon like Rara to do?
Demons are sent to earth to cause mischief and evil but Rara is different. She finds herself falling for a human! Unfortunately, every time a demon uses their powers to help humans they grow weaker and weaker... What's a love-struck demon like Rara to do?
July 7, 2018
Kresba byla celkem hezká, ale měla jsem s ní spoustu problémů. Například kresba Rariny poblázněné postavičky, které vypadala opravdu divně, a kresba jiných postav se mi také občas nelíbila.
Příběh byl trochu divný a moch jsem ho nepobrala. Hlavně by mě zajímalo, kde celý příběh byl ten super hustý idol pekla, kterého všichni obdivovali a chtěli ho zaujmout. Zdálo se mi zvláštní, že nikdo pocházející z pekla nebyl ani trochu zlý. Vlastně mi spíš připadali milí. Což bylo hodně divné.
Obálka vypadá stylově a to se mi líbí. Ta barevná kombinace a květiny ve vlasech tomu ještě dodávají na eleganci.
Hodnotím 32% Jazyk: Aj
Příběh byl trochu divný a moch jsem ho nepobrala. Hlavně by mě zajímalo, kde celý příběh byl ten super hustý idol pekla, kterého všichni obdivovali a chtěli ho zaujmout. Zdálo se mi zvláštní, že nikdo pocházející z pekla nebyl ani trochu zlý. Vlastně mi spíš připadali milí. Což bylo hodně divné.
Obálka vypadá stylově a to se mi líbí. Ta barevná kombinace a květiny ve vlasech tomu ještě dodávají na eleganci.
Hodnotím 32% Jazyk: Aj
January 21, 2018
This is one of the cutest manga that I have ever read. It made me laugh out loud, made me say "aww" It was just super cute my only complaint was that it was too short, I want more from this story.
January 24, 2018
I used to be more of a fan of this mangaka than I am now. Great artwork though, cute but sometimes juvenile storylines.
February 6, 2017
I really liked this Manga. It was cute and had me giggling to myself on many occasions. I wish there was more to it! I'll just hope for a sequel.
April 18, 2014
Before getting this book you should know it is rated teen with romance themes and the occasional implications of death(after all the main character is a demon) but nothing so overt to make this a bad choice for anyone.
Gaba Kawa is an interesting read about a demon girl(mind you demons are different between Japneses and Western cultures)who comes to our world to create a little havoc to impress a demon boy who was already making waves over here. The only problem is she ends up meeting another boy who she discovers is human and falls in love! Now anytime she uses her powers to help the human she loses them one after another and gets weaker. What i a poor demoness supposed to do in the face of love at first sight?
The artwork is really cute and the main character Rara is really adorable as she deals with her feelings versus her nature to do bad things to humans. The end of the book is a bit of a twist that I am not a hundred percent what happened but I think happened(not going to spoil it)but I was still happy for the characters in the story as it concluded.
Personally my favorite part of the book is when Rara is watching Retsu while invisible and he accidentally runs into her into creating one of the most interesting kiss scenes I have seen in quite a while. If you like quirky cross world romance stories this is not a bad choice to add to add to your shelf. :)
Gaba Kawa is an interesting read about a demon girl(mind you demons are different between Japneses and Western cultures)who comes to our world to create a little havoc to impress a demon boy who was already making waves over here. The only problem is she ends up meeting another boy who she discovers is human and falls in love! Now anytime she uses her powers to help the human she loses them one after another and gets weaker. What i a poor demoness supposed to do in the face of love at first sight?
The artwork is really cute and the main character Rara is really adorable as she deals with her feelings versus her nature to do bad things to humans. The end of the book is a bit of a twist that I am not a hundred percent what happened but I think happened(not going to spoil it)but I was still happy for the characters in the story as it concluded.
Personally my favorite part of the book is when Rara is watching Retsu while invisible and he accidentally runs into her into creating one of the most interesting kiss scenes I have seen in quite a while. If you like quirky cross world romance stories this is not a bad choice to add to add to your shelf. :)
July 28, 2016
Rie Takada is known for shorter shoujo series such as Punch! and Happy Hustle High. Gaba Kawa is a stand alone volume about Rara, a demon sent to cause mischief on Earth. When Rara falls in love with a human and starts helping people with her powers, she begins to lose those demon powers. Falling in love with a human also means that she will disappear, unless she kills the human who stole her heart!
This one-off is cute and fun and worth more than one read through. While being mildly charming, this manga isn't quite as good as Takada's other books and the art and characters in Gaba Kawa are very similar in style to those in her other volumes, which makes the book feel not-so-fresh. Despite this mishap, it is still a fun read and Takada's works are all worth at least reading through once! And it's a one-off manga, it will only take about 45 minutes of your time if you need something nice and quick to read.
This one-off is cute and fun and worth more than one read through. While being mildly charming, this manga isn't quite as good as Takada's other books and the art and characters in Gaba Kawa are very similar in style to those in her other volumes, which makes the book feel not-so-fresh. Despite this mishap, it is still a fun read and Takada's works are all worth at least reading through once! And it's a one-off manga, it will only take about 45 minutes of your time if you need something nice and quick to read.
January 10, 2009
My experiences with manga (particularly shoujo manga) have been few and far between, but this was very cute! The story ticks along at a rapid pace, is easy to follow without being simplistic, and is unexpectedly compelling and heartwarming. It's great fun if you don't read too much into the whole "girl falls extremely madly in love with boy" thing, and at any rate the book takes the piss out of itself at every turn in a very charming way.
December 6, 2023
I LOVE this one-and-done manga so much. It checks off so many things I enjoy: A feisty, impulsive and somewhat reckless heroine. A beautiful rival frenemy who isn't all bad (but still mostly bad). A brooding boyfriend. A hidden world that regular people don't see. Antics with lookalikes. Humor with heart. A showstopper cover. An enigmatic ending. And that's not even mentioning the great artwork by Rie Takada. "Gaba Kawa" might be silly and sweet and not for everyone, but it's one of my faves.
February 3, 2009
Okay, it's only 4 stars because I'm pouting that it was too short. I really like this manga-ka, but each series she has had translated in the US seems to be shorter than the last. The characters and setting were her most intriguing to me since "Wild Act" and I'm surprised she didn't develop it more fully.
November 27, 2015
An ultra-cute manga that switches up the paranormal romance formula by having a supernatural girl paired up with a human boy. However, I tend to avoid paranormal romances, so I haven't read (and tired of) enough of them to appreciate this, and fluffy shoujo doesn't do much for me in the first place.
August 23, 2008
I sort-of own this book, because the only reason I could have read it (it's not published in book format yet) is because of Shojo Beat Magazine!!! This book is refreshing, and the characters are funny and interesting. It's about demons, mistaken identity, and being cute because you're persistent.
October 4, 2008
This was pretty horrible. Rie Takada gradually got worse and worse. All her characters are the same in each new series. This was her last chance for me and she blew it.
February 1, 2009
I have this book in the original Japanese, and boy was I wrong in guessing what the story was about. Maybe learning Japanese might be a good idea.
June 29, 2009
My god, if there is a rating lower than 1, this manga would get it.
February 17, 2011
I really enjoyed this one volume love story. I almost gave up on it at the beginning but I'm so glad that I stuck with it. Good supernatural romance.
Read
July 28, 2011A cute one book story about a demon in human form who falls in love with a human. I usually hate insipid shojo, but this story was actually able to hold my attention.
February 11, 2017
This book was really cute with some really fun characters.
July 16, 2012
AMAZING~!!!! I felt so sorry for Rara after she disappeared and having Aku/Retsu forget about her!!!! But, it was sooo good!!!! So very happy I read it!!!
August 15, 2012
Amazing Manga!
I love the artwork! Rara has such an adorable look. So cute! And big gorgeous eyes!
And Aku? Complete hunk! Yummy! :D
The storyline is also so amazing! I loved the ending! <3
I love the artwork! Rara has such an adorable look. So cute! And big gorgeous eyes!
And Aku? Complete hunk! Yummy! :D
The storyline is also so amazing! I loved the ending! <3
January 28, 2013
I Loved this book. Its really cute and funny. The ending was weird but still it was good. I kinda wish there was a second book to this.
May 26, 2013
Pretty good. Easy to read and I'm glad it's a stand alone. Recommended to me whole at Anime North. Glad I read it. It was cute and goofy.
October 24, 2013
kekurangannya cuma satu, Kurang panjanggggggg
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews