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午前0時、キスしに来てよ [Gozen 0-ji, Kiss shi ni Kite yo] #1
Kuss um Mitternacht 01
Musterschülerin Hinana hat ein kleines Geheimnis: Hinter ihrer ehrgeizigen Fassade steckt nur eine einfache Schülerin die sich gern verlieben möchte. Als bekannt wird, dass Superstar Ayase Kaede für einen Filmdreh zu ihr auf die Schule kommt, ist sie vollkommen aus dem Häuschen. Sie darf sogar eine Statistenrolle übernehmen! Doch während der Pause sieht sie, wie er einer Tennisspielerin auf den Hintern schaut. Hinanas perfektes Bild von ihm zerbricht, dennoch fühlt sie sich zu ihm hingezogen …
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2015
87 people are currently reading
692 people want to read
About the author
Rin Mikimoto
53 books90 followers• Associated name: Mikimoto凛
• Name in native language: みきもと凛
• Blood Type: AB
• Zodiac: Taurus
5月18日生まれ。おうし座。AB型。『SHE'S ALL THAT』で第18回BF新人まんが 大賞佳作を受賞してデビュー。代表作は、『近キョリ恋愛』。
Rough Google translation:
Debut was awarded the 18th BF rookie comics Award Honorable Mention in the "SHE'S ALL THAT". Masterpiece is, "Close Range Love"(Kinkyori Renai).
• Name in native language: みきもと凛
• Blood Type: AB
• Zodiac: Taurus
5月18日生まれ。おうし座。AB型。『SHE'S ALL THAT』で第18回BF新人まんが 大賞佳作を受賞してデビュー。代表作は、『近キョリ恋愛』。
Rough Google translation:
Debut was awarded the 18th BF rookie comics Award Honorable Mention in the "SHE'S ALL THAT". Masterpiece is, "Close Range Love"(Kinkyori Renai).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
November 22, 2018
1ish/5 Stars
Guys. He’s 24 and she’s in High School. He has an unhealthy porn obsession and he’s grossly outward about his butt fetish. This book is garbage. What a waste of purely magical and phenomenal art talent. There’s nothing here, keep it movin’. Run away from this series while your mind is still solid.
Stupid book.
Guys. He’s 24 and she’s in High School. He has an unhealthy porn obsession and he’s grossly outward about his butt fetish. This book is garbage. What a waste of purely magical and phenomenal art talent. There’s nothing here, keep it movin’. Run away from this series while your mind is still solid.
Stupid book.
January 6, 2022
He shouldn't be allowed within 100 metres of a school
September 4, 2018
So, I saw that this is a kind of retelling of Cinderella, but it's a pretty loose retelling. A character may lose a shoe, guy may be a kind of royalty (famous), and the girl is hard working-but things are very different. I didn't go into this one with much expectations and the story didn't do much for me regardless. The story feels very cookie cutter, although quirks are added to characters to try and make them different.
A nutshell summary:
Girl is hardworking, a little plain, a little pretty. Some miraculous, unbelievable event happens that brings girl and boy together. Attraction. Best friend is voice of reason. Another best friend who is a boy, maybe something will develop there, who knows...I may not find out, because I probably won't read volume 2. Jealousy all around. Miscommunication. All kinds of things that I feel are very familiar. The "quirks" that are meant to make our main love birds different or unique end up making them unlikeable to me. Which I wont spoil what those are...just all in all the story is,
I ended up not being a big fan of the story or the main characters. I give it a two stars because the art is phenomenal and I kind of liked the two best friends of our girl MC. Also, the ending was kinda cute. However, I don't see myself picking up the 2nd volume anytime soon. That is never a good sign when I am reading a manga. I feel that the first volume has a very big job to accomplish. That job consists of setting a larger story, creating a connection with the reader, and making the reader want the next volume. I think that this volume missed that mark. It may take a couple more volumes for the story to grow on me, but as of now I have too many other manga I want to read.
I would recommend this to someone who loves good artwork and doesn't mind a predictable shoujo.
A nutshell summary:
Girl is hardworking, a little plain, a little pretty. Some miraculous, unbelievable event happens that brings girl and boy together. Attraction. Best friend is voice of reason. Another best friend who is a boy, maybe something will develop there, who knows...I may not find out, because I probably won't read volume 2. Jealousy all around. Miscommunication. All kinds of things that I feel are very familiar. The "quirks" that are meant to make our main love birds different or unique end up making them unlikeable to me. Which I wont spoil what those are...just all in all the story is,
I ended up not being a big fan of the story or the main characters. I give it a two stars because the art is phenomenal and I kind of liked the two best friends of our girl MC. Also, the ending was kinda cute. However, I don't see myself picking up the 2nd volume anytime soon. That is never a good sign when I am reading a manga. I feel that the first volume has a very big job to accomplish. That job consists of setting a larger story, creating a connection with the reader, and making the reader want the next volume. I think that this volume missed that mark. It may take a couple more volumes for the story to grow on me, but as of now I have too many other manga I want to read.
I would recommend this to someone who loves good artwork and doesn't mind a predictable shoujo.
January 21, 2021
Un peu tannée des petites cocottes lycéennes naïves qui "appartiennent" à de beaux jeunes hommes qui se croient tout permis.
December 30, 2021
I read this back in 2019 but ended up never getting the second volume from the library. I saw this on a manga list a few days ago and decided to pick it back up. We have an ex idol now actor who has a butt fetish and a high school girl who wants to have a fairy tale romance. This first volume was a bit strange, but I am curious enough to see how this relationship will evolve.
May 26, 2019
This story was too cute (and pretty much felt straight out of high school Alexa’s fan fiction dreams)! Can’t wait to continue 😍
December 19, 2017
In Summary
Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight is yet another Cinderella-type manga with an ordinary high school heroine and a gorgeous celebrity. However, unlike most stories that fall into this trope, neither character is in desperate or extreme circumstances so there’s not a lot of high stakes drama. There are, however, quite a lot of panty shots for a shojo title. So if you’re interested in a Cinderella romantic comedy and don’t mind raunchy humor, you can give this title a try.
The Review
This is my first time reading Mikimoto-sensei’s work, and I found Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight somewhat reminiscent of the Goong manhwa by So Hee Park. This partly because it is also a romance that incorporates crude humor, and partly because the character designs go from sparkly-eyed shojo-style to goofy caricatures when things get bawdy. And like Goong, it is a Cinderella story. However, instead of an actual prince and a poor girl, the lead couple is a handsome celebrity and a straitlaced honor student.
That honor student being Hinana Hanazawa. Unlike many other Cinderella-type heroines, her family is not in debt, and she doesn’t have to work part-time to make ends meet. If anything, she’s the embodiment of the perfect high school girl with good grades, a seat on the student council, and a serious demeanor. Secretly, however, she fantasizes about having a fairy-tale romance with a hot guy—not that she thinks it could ever happen.
Enter super-star Kaede Ayase. He shows up at Hinana’s school to shoot a film, and Hinana and her classmates can’t even speak to him because he’s so glamorous. But by pure chance, Hinana discovers that Kaede is a “butt alien” (panty freak), and suddenly, the celebrity prince doesn’t seem so unapproachable to her any more.
This title is rated for “Older Teen,” but I’m still troubled by the fact that our heroine falls for such an unabashed pervert. This is shojo, after all, not hentai. It’s one thing for Kaede to catch a glimpse of her panties because she (oopsies!) trips at the wrong time. It’s another thing for him to ogle the whole high school tennis team and to offer to let Hinana feel up the panty flash figurine he wins at an arcade. Plus, he’s 24–an adult, and at least seven years older than Hinana. He takes special interest in Hinana because she doesn’t condemn him for his butt fetish and keeps it a secret. However, his special interest in her doesn’t stop him from ogling other women, girls, and inanimate objects. Kaede is portrayed as a carefree bubblehead so his fetish doesn’t come across as predatory, but I do wish Hinana had higher standards.
If Kaede had a less perverted quirk, this would be an otherwise entertaining romantic comedy. I liked its twist on Cinderella’s shoes, and because Hinana’s not a Cinderella that needs to be rescued from her circumstances, the mood stays fun even as she ponders the chemistry brewing between her and Kaede. As mentioned in the author notes, this story tries to capture the nature of celebrity crushes as well as the fact that celebrities are human, too, and it does a good job of showing the comic awkwardness of a budding relationship complicated by the burdens of stardom.
Extras include the first five pages printed in color, author’s notes and afterword, and translation notes.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight is yet another Cinderella-type manga with an ordinary high school heroine and a gorgeous celebrity. However, unlike most stories that fall into this trope, neither character is in desperate or extreme circumstances so there’s not a lot of high stakes drama. There are, however, quite a lot of panty shots for a shojo title. So if you’re interested in a Cinderella romantic comedy and don’t mind raunchy humor, you can give this title a try.
The Review
This is my first time reading Mikimoto-sensei’s work, and I found Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight somewhat reminiscent of the Goong manhwa by So Hee Park. This partly because it is also a romance that incorporates crude humor, and partly because the character designs go from sparkly-eyed shojo-style to goofy caricatures when things get bawdy. And like Goong, it is a Cinderella story. However, instead of an actual prince and a poor girl, the lead couple is a handsome celebrity and a straitlaced honor student.
That honor student being Hinana Hanazawa. Unlike many other Cinderella-type heroines, her family is not in debt, and she doesn’t have to work part-time to make ends meet. If anything, she’s the embodiment of the perfect high school girl with good grades, a seat on the student council, and a serious demeanor. Secretly, however, she fantasizes about having a fairy-tale romance with a hot guy—not that she thinks it could ever happen.
Enter super-star Kaede Ayase. He shows up at Hinana’s school to shoot a film, and Hinana and her classmates can’t even speak to him because he’s so glamorous. But by pure chance, Hinana discovers that Kaede is a “butt alien” (panty freak), and suddenly, the celebrity prince doesn’t seem so unapproachable to her any more.
This title is rated for “Older Teen,” but I’m still troubled by the fact that our heroine falls for such an unabashed pervert. This is shojo, after all, not hentai. It’s one thing for Kaede to catch a glimpse of her panties because she (oopsies!) trips at the wrong time. It’s another thing for him to ogle the whole high school tennis team and to offer to let Hinana feel up the panty flash figurine he wins at an arcade. Plus, he’s 24–an adult, and at least seven years older than Hinana. He takes special interest in Hinana because she doesn’t condemn him for his butt fetish and keeps it a secret. However, his special interest in her doesn’t stop him from ogling other women, girls, and inanimate objects. Kaede is portrayed as a carefree bubblehead so his fetish doesn’t come across as predatory, but I do wish Hinana had higher standards.
If Kaede had a less perverted quirk, this would be an otherwise entertaining romantic comedy. I liked its twist on Cinderella’s shoes, and because Hinana’s not a Cinderella that needs to be rescued from her circumstances, the mood stays fun even as she ponders the chemistry brewing between her and Kaede. As mentioned in the author notes, this story tries to capture the nature of celebrity crushes as well as the fact that celebrities are human, too, and it does a good job of showing the comic awkwardness of a budding relationship complicated by the burdens of stardom.
Extras include the first five pages printed in color, author’s notes and afterword, and translation notes.
For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2020
I want to like this more because there is potential here for a decent shojo, there are just a few problems.
The age difference: at best Hinana is 18 but given genre conventions, it is more likely she is 15 or 16. Kaede is 24. In a series were this works, like Takane and Hana, the mangaka shows how it is genuinely weird and creepy for the couple and goes out of its way to make sure the romance happens without manipulation and intimacy. The power dynamics of Hinana and Kaede is so skewed in favor of Kaede that it makes the romance uncomfortable unless you forget or ignore his age.
The butts disease: Kaede is an ass-man, which is generally not a problem, but he goes beyond an appreciation and into creepdom especially since we see him creeping on teen girls! Its played for comedy, especially when he unashamedly proclaims his delight in winning a squishy bummed action figure, but it is so uncomfortable to read.
The tonal dissonance: Kaede is written as a pervy prince. Its like if Tamaki from Ouran had a love child with Mineta from MHA - and it is just as awkward as that sounds. He has genuinely nice sweet moments of thoughtfulness smashed together with him lamenting that mannequin butts aren't squishy.
To conclude, there is just enough gross to make me uncomfortable but not hate it and there is just enough good to get me to read the other 2 volumes I checked out from the library but probably not more than that.
The age difference: at best Hinana is 18 but given genre conventions, it is more likely she is 15 or 16. Kaede is 24. In a series were this works, like Takane and Hana, the mangaka shows how it is genuinely weird and creepy for the couple and goes out of its way to make sure the romance happens without manipulation and intimacy. The power dynamics of Hinana and Kaede is so skewed in favor of Kaede that it makes the romance uncomfortable unless you forget or ignore his age.
The butts disease: Kaede is an ass-man, which is generally not a problem, but he goes beyond an appreciation and into creepdom especially since we see him creeping on teen girls! Its played for comedy, especially when he unashamedly proclaims his delight in winning a squishy bummed action figure, but it is so uncomfortable to read.
The tonal dissonance: Kaede is written as a pervy prince. Its like if Tamaki from Ouran had a love child with Mineta from MHA - and it is just as awkward as that sounds. He has genuinely nice sweet moments of thoughtfulness smashed together with him lamenting that mannequin butts aren't squishy.
To conclude, there is just enough gross to make me uncomfortable but not hate it and there is just enough good to get me to read the other 2 volumes I checked out from the library but probably not more than that.
February 13, 2022
This was really good!
I LOVED the Cinderella aspect a lot and found Hinana a really fun character to follow. It's interesting how she hides her love for romantic films/books and that people think she is such a serious person. I mean, yes, she definitely is a serious person, but as our hero is seeing, there is so much more to her.
And speaking of our hero, there are times I think Kaede is a creep and times I think he's really cool. LOL! The butt fetish is something I could care less to see more of, but I like his actual character quite a bit. He fits the Prince Charming role nicely and like how he seems to genuinely care for Hinana.
The story itself was also great! I liked the pacing of everything and just the ways these two interact. They are an interesting couple and definitely would love to continue to read more of their story!
Overall, this was a fun read and felt the magic of wanting that fairy tale kind of love. Plus, Hinana is a really wonderful character!
I LOVED the Cinderella aspect a lot and found Hinana a really fun character to follow. It's interesting how she hides her love for romantic films/books and that people think she is such a serious person. I mean, yes, she definitely is a serious person, but as our hero is seeing, there is so much more to her.
And speaking of our hero, there are times I think Kaede is a creep and times I think he's really cool. LOL! The butt fetish is something I could care less to see more of, but I like his actual character quite a bit. He fits the Prince Charming role nicely and like how he seems to genuinely care for Hinana.
The story itself was also great! I liked the pacing of everything and just the ways these two interact. They are an interesting couple and definitely would love to continue to read more of their story!
Overall, this was a fun read and felt the magic of wanting that fairy tale kind of love. Plus, Hinana is a really wonderful character!
October 18, 2022
This manga was hilarious. I think I was hoping for it to be more romantic, though, and it turned out to be pretty crude. The celebrity love interest is obsessed with butts and not only peeps under mannequins' skirts, but feels up action figures, too, on top of blatantly staring when the main character trips and falls and her skirt flies up. He does all this brazenly and his attraction to the MC actually spawns when she laughs at his antics instead of getting creeped out.
There's quite an age gap between the leads; the girl is in high school and her celebrity crush is 24. But there were a lot of sweet scenes between the pair to make up for the frequent humor. The point really is that the former pop star-turned-actor is really just an average boy, in spite of his fame and beauty. I enjoyed the way his fans chased after him but I'm curious as to why the paparazzi have not at all been a factor.
Anyway, I bought this entire series as soon as I read the synopsis because I looove a celebrity romance and this did have most of the elements I was hoping for. I just didn't think it was going to be quite so vulgar? LOL!
There's quite an age gap between the leads; the girl is in high school and her celebrity crush is 24. But there were a lot of sweet scenes between the pair to make up for the frequent humor. The point really is that the former pop star-turned-actor is really just an average boy, in spite of his fame and beauty. I enjoyed the way his fans chased after him but I'm curious as to why the paparazzi have not at all been a factor.
Anyway, I bought this entire series as soon as I read the synopsis because I looove a celebrity romance and this did have most of the elements I was hoping for. I just didn't think it was going to be quite so vulgar? LOL!
December 16, 2019
Aufmachung
Ehrlich gesagt, hätte ich die Reihe wahrscheinlich nicht gekauft, bei Betrachtung des Covers und des Klappentextes.
Tatsächlich gefallen mir die S/W Illustrationen im Innern wesentlich besser. Irgendwie habe ich das Gefühl, dass er dort die Liebe zum Detail für die Charaktere so richtig hervorsticht. Auch die Chibi Zeichnungen sind unfassbar toll.
Protagonisten
Anfangs dachte ich wirklich, die beiden könnten nicht gegensätzlicher sein. Aber dieses anfängliche Bild macht es umso spannender.
Hinana ist sehr fleißig, lernt gern und ist unfassbar strukturiert. Jeder Tag beginnt exakt gleich. Sie ist klug und sieht sich in ihrer Freizeit gern allein Liebesfilme in einem kleinen Kino an.
Ayase hingegen ist ein gut aussehender Superstar, der in der Öffentlichkeit Inkognito bleiben muss. Er ist sehr selbstsicher, hat einen Hinterfetisch, doch scheint er Gentlemen zu sein.
Fazit:
Ehrlich, ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass mir die Story so gut gefallen könnte. Aber sie ist so liebevoll erzählt, nicht im Übermaß kitschig, aber trotzdem niedlich. Zudem sind die Charaktere so ehrlich und verlieren sich nicht in zahllosen Heimlichkeiten, wie es solche Geschichten oft tun. Das ist so unfassbar erfrischend.
Außerdem finde ich es gut, dass der Einstieg nicht übertrieben rasant ist. Meiner Meinung nach ein hervorragender Reihenauftakt.
Ehrlich gesagt, hätte ich die Reihe wahrscheinlich nicht gekauft, bei Betrachtung des Covers und des Klappentextes.
Tatsächlich gefallen mir die S/W Illustrationen im Innern wesentlich besser. Irgendwie habe ich das Gefühl, dass er dort die Liebe zum Detail für die Charaktere so richtig hervorsticht. Auch die Chibi Zeichnungen sind unfassbar toll.
Protagonisten
Anfangs dachte ich wirklich, die beiden könnten nicht gegensätzlicher sein. Aber dieses anfängliche Bild macht es umso spannender.
Hinana ist sehr fleißig, lernt gern und ist unfassbar strukturiert. Jeder Tag beginnt exakt gleich. Sie ist klug und sieht sich in ihrer Freizeit gern allein Liebesfilme in einem kleinen Kino an.
Ayase hingegen ist ein gut aussehender Superstar, der in der Öffentlichkeit Inkognito bleiben muss. Er ist sehr selbstsicher, hat einen Hinterfetisch, doch scheint er Gentlemen zu sein.
Fazit:
Ehrlich, ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass mir die Story so gut gefallen könnte. Aber sie ist so liebevoll erzählt, nicht im Übermaß kitschig, aber trotzdem niedlich. Zudem sind die Charaktere so ehrlich und verlieren sich nicht in zahllosen Heimlichkeiten, wie es solche Geschichten oft tun. Das ist so unfassbar erfrischend.
Außerdem finde ich es gut, dass der Einstieg nicht übertrieben rasant ist. Meiner Meinung nach ein hervorragender Reihenauftakt.
January 18, 2026
This art style is amazing I actually love it so much. 💌
The main love interest is lowkey weird with his fetish but whatever.
Hi ana is an underrated shojo girl. She loves romance and fairy tales, she’s an honors student I relate to her a lot.
I’d love to continue this series 🫶
The main love interest is lowkey weird with his fetish but whatever.
Hi ana is an underrated shojo girl. She loves romance and fairy tales, she’s an honors student I relate to her a lot.
I’d love to continue this series 🫶
April 3, 2019
Totally not what I was expecting. It's hilarious, a little pervy, and full of fangirl goodness! I cannot wait to see what else happens in this cute (did I say hilarious yet) Cinderella retelling.
February 2, 2023
While I have my problems with this volume, I did really enjoy this volume and look forward to continuing the series. In the interest of time (and because my issues are pretty self-explanatory) I'm going to address my likes and dislikes in list form. Here we go!
Pros:
1. While not the most interesting main girl (for now) I do like Hinana and love her obsession with romantic movies/hot guys. Her facial expressions convey so much about her personality, which as I die-hard fan of expression in manga, makes me so damn happy. I particularly loved the scene where she confronts the girls who stole Ayase's shoes and is wielding broom like a FUCKING WEAPON. This girl does NOT fuck around and I love it.
2. The artwork is absolutely STUNNING. Holy shit, I can fall in love with this series just from the artwork alone. Damn, everyone looks so pretty! And the at style is great, too! Mikimoto really goes all out to convey each character's expressions, and as I mentioned earlier, that's something that I greatly appreciate in manga.
3. While the story isn't original, I have to say that this is the perfect story to read when taking a break from heavier entertainment mediums. It's simple but has potential to be interesting and I am curious to learn more about Ayase and Hinana.
4. Despite this being the first volume, I am definitely invested in Ayase and Hinana's relationship. I think their relationship has a lot of potential and I think they get along and respect each other.
5. Even though I had some problems with Ayase's character, I actually like him a lot and think he's really funny, especially when paired up with Hinana.
Cons:
1. Okay, I am NOT hating on Ayase's butt infatuation because I think it's perverted. Whether people want to admit it or not, most people are drawn to others because of physical appearances and I don't think it's right to shame someone, specifically a guy, for being attracted to women's butts. If that's what he likes, it's what he likes and I can respect him for that. What I CANNOT respect is him perving on other girls, ESPECIALLY when he's already attracted to Hinana. While I am glad that others are creeped out by this behavior and call him out for it, it still isn't a good thing.
2. Ah-kun's going to be the childhood friend love interest character, isn't he? Dammit, can I have ONE romance series that doesn't have that fucking trope?! Okay, I actually have read a few recently that don't, but STILL!
3. Ayase giving Hinana a non-consensual kiss in the elevator. Yes, I know she wasn't upset by it, but I still don't approve of it.
4. Ayase getting jealous of Ah-kun and saying that Hinana's "his". NO. BIG FUCKING NO. Romance writers, stop using possessive language to indicate a relationship. It's NOT FUCKING OKAY.
That about sums it up. I'm looking forward to what the next volume has in store for this odd couple!
Pros:
1. While not the most interesting main girl (for now) I do like Hinana and love her obsession with romantic movies/hot guys. Her facial expressions convey so much about her personality, which as I die-hard fan of expression in manga, makes me so damn happy. I particularly loved the scene where she confronts the girls who stole Ayase's shoes and is wielding broom like a FUCKING WEAPON. This girl does NOT fuck around and I love it.
2. The artwork is absolutely STUNNING. Holy shit, I can fall in love with this series just from the artwork alone. Damn, everyone looks so pretty! And the at style is great, too! Mikimoto really goes all out to convey each character's expressions, and as I mentioned earlier, that's something that I greatly appreciate in manga.
3. While the story isn't original, I have to say that this is the perfect story to read when taking a break from heavier entertainment mediums. It's simple but has potential to be interesting and I am curious to learn more about Ayase and Hinana.
4. Despite this being the first volume, I am definitely invested in Ayase and Hinana's relationship. I think their relationship has a lot of potential and I think they get along and respect each other.
5. Even though I had some problems with Ayase's character, I actually like him a lot and think he's really funny, especially when paired up with Hinana.
Cons:
1. Okay, I am NOT hating on Ayase's butt infatuation because I think it's perverted. Whether people want to admit it or not, most people are drawn to others because of physical appearances and I don't think it's right to shame someone, specifically a guy, for being attracted to women's butts. If that's what he likes, it's what he likes and I can respect him for that. What I CANNOT respect is him perving on other girls, ESPECIALLY when he's already attracted to Hinana. While I am glad that others are creeped out by this behavior and call him out for it, it still isn't a good thing.
2. Ah-kun's going to be the childhood friend love interest character, isn't he? Dammit, can I have ONE romance series that doesn't have that fucking trope?! Okay, I actually have read a few recently that don't, but STILL!
3. Ayase giving Hinana a non-consensual kiss in the elevator. Yes, I know she wasn't upset by it, but I still don't approve of it.
4. Ayase getting jealous of Ah-kun and saying that Hinana's "his". NO. BIG FUCKING NO. Romance writers, stop using possessive language to indicate a relationship. It's NOT FUCKING OKAY.
That about sums it up. I'm looking forward to what the next volume has in store for this odd couple!
February 23, 2019
What is this manga?
When I look at the cover of Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, I expect a shoujo manga that's as fluffy as that girl's hair. Flipping over to the back cover, you get a more accurate portrayal of this ridiculous manga in the series of reaction shots from Hinana.
Because this is the story of Hinana, a girl who at first looks like the model high school girl in that she's smart, punctual, pretty, and focuses more on her studies than on boys. Except for that last bit, anyway. Truth is, she dreams about a fairy tale romance with a hot boy and has an addiction to romance movies.
She ends up meeting a hot boy with a butt fetish in Kaede, a celebrity who is filming a movie at her school over break. They meet, they're weird and earnest together, they're kinda clueless together, and an off-beat comedy ensues.
If there's one complaint I have, it's that Kaede is 24 and, while we don't have an exact age for her yet, Hinana is still in high school, so say 16 or 17. That's... creepy. Especially when 24-year-old Kaede is staring at the girl's high school tennis team's butts. I don't understand why the couldn't have made him a couple years younger and maybe not so weird about staring at girls' butts?
When I look at the cover of Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, I expect a shoujo manga that's as fluffy as that girl's hair. Flipping over to the back cover, you get a more accurate portrayal of this ridiculous manga in the series of reaction shots from Hinana.
Because this is the story of Hinana, a girl who at first looks like the model high school girl in that she's smart, punctual, pretty, and focuses more on her studies than on boys. Except for that last bit, anyway. Truth is, she dreams about a fairy tale romance with a hot boy and has an addiction to romance movies.
She ends up meeting a hot boy with a butt fetish in Kaede, a celebrity who is filming a movie at her school over break. They meet, they're weird and earnest together, they're kinda clueless together, and an off-beat comedy ensues.
If there's one complaint I have, it's that Kaede is 24 and, while we don't have an exact age for her yet, Hinana is still in high school, so say 16 or 17. That's... creepy. Especially when 24-year-old Kaede is staring at the girl's high school tennis team's butts. I don't understand why the couldn't have made him a couple years younger and maybe not so weird about staring at girls' butts?
January 26, 2022
This story... confused me.
The plot was cheesy and strange. And I did not like the love interest.
He has a butt fetish. That's his character. (I read the second vol, and I hated it and him.) He is perv who likes to ogle and watch woman and their bums. He's a rich idol boy who's left his boy band and is now pursing a solo career. He's honestly really flat as a character, though I did like a few scenes of him, hence why I continued on with the second volume.
But this story is mediocre. It's predictable and so idiotic. I can't make sense of it.
The main character is a naive girl who likes to romance *le gasp* how scandalous!! And wants a fairytale romance. And sadly, this butt-fetish idol takes advantage of it.
The only reason I read this is because a) it was at my local library & b) I thought it was a Cinderella retelling. If it is a Cinderella retelling, it's not very good, and there are only a few references to the fairytale.
So 2 stars.
The plot was cheesy and strange. And I did not like the love interest.
He has a butt fetish. That's his character. (I read the second vol, and I hated it and him.) He is perv who likes to ogle and watch woman and their bums. He's a rich idol boy who's left his boy band and is now pursing a solo career. He's honestly really flat as a character, though I did like a few scenes of him, hence why I continued on with the second volume.
But this story is mediocre. It's predictable and so idiotic. I can't make sense of it.
The main character is a naive girl who likes to romance *le gasp* how scandalous!! And wants a fairytale romance. And sadly, this butt-fetish idol takes advantage of it.
The only reason I read this is because a) it was at my local library & b) I thought it was a Cinderella retelling. If it is a Cinderella retelling, it's not very good, and there are only a few references to the fairytale.
So 2 stars.
June 1, 2021
Davvero un bellissimo inizio di manga.
December 2, 2019
❖ Please ignore my rating, as my ratings are more for me than for you. Thank you! ✌
❖ Whenever I review, I ask myself the same set of questions, based on my personal standards for novels. I exclude the sections about “characters” and “plot” when reviewing nonfiction, obviously. ;)
❖ I also talk about the books on my BookTube channel.
❖ I make friendships through twitter.
Elements I Liked:
❖ We start by getting to know the protagonist and her motivations.
❖ The art is unique, which feels fun and novel.
❖ The romance starts off weirdly and isn't shoved down our throats.
❖ The protagonist and the love interest end up in places that seems more natural than jarring, so I can believe it.
❖ The protagonist's best friends are a gal and a fella! I can't tell you how rare this has been in my history of shoujo-reading.
❖ The love interest's attraction to her not only makes sense, he even puts it into words!
❖ The "misunderstandings" are talked about right away!
❖ The love interest's background/subplot is not tragic, and adds depth to his character and the overall story.
❖ The love interest is not perfect. There are a couple of undesirable qualities about him, and that adds depth to him, too!
❖ Whenever I review, I ask myself the same set of questions, based on my personal standards for novels. I exclude the sections about “characters” and “plot” when reviewing nonfiction, obviously. ;)
❖ I also talk about the books on my BookTube channel.
❖ I make friendships through twitter.
Elements I Liked:
❖ We start by getting to know the protagonist and her motivations.
❖ The art is unique, which feels fun and novel.
❖ The romance starts off weirdly and isn't shoved down our throats.
❖ The protagonist and the love interest end up in places that seems more natural than jarring, so I can believe it.
❖ The protagonist's best friends are a gal and a fella! I can't tell you how rare this has been in my history of shoujo-reading.
❖ The love interest's attraction to her not only makes sense, he even puts it into words!
❖ The "misunderstandings" are talked about right away!
❖ The love interest's background/subplot is not tragic, and adds depth to his character and the overall story.
❖ The love interest is not perfect. There are a couple of undesirable qualities about him, and that adds depth to him, too!
December 4, 2020
Okay so I came here after reading Kyou no Kira-kun (which I COMPLETELY LOVED btw) and which was also written by the same mangaka.
I think this is definitely a different vibe from Kyou no Kira-kun. When you read it, you have this sort of gloomy feel from it and it really hits you emotionally, on the other hand, this one seems to be a very fluffy manga. So, a lot of people are calling this a "modern retelling of Cinderella" and I think that is one of the stories almost anyone would know so I'm kind of interested to see how this one goes.
Despite this one being the complete opposite of Kira-kun, I still have a lot of times where I find myself really laughing at this, and honestly, I'm not the type who reads these kinds of stories. I guess for now, I'm just reading this series by the chapter first and see how far I'll go from there.
I think this is definitely a different vibe from Kyou no Kira-kun. When you read it, you have this sort of gloomy feel from it and it really hits you emotionally, on the other hand, this one seems to be a very fluffy manga. So, a lot of people are calling this a "modern retelling of Cinderella" and I think that is one of the stories almost anyone would know so I'm kind of interested to see how this one goes.
Despite this one being the complete opposite of Kira-kun, I still have a lot of times where I find myself really laughing at this, and honestly, I'm not the type who reads these kinds of stories. I guess for now, I'm just reading this series by the chapter first and see how far I'll go from there.
May 25, 2018
For some reason, after years of not reading any forn of graphic novel, I had a hankering to read one.
1)It gave me an excuse to visit the book store (something I rarely do thanks to Amazon/Kindle)
2) Remind me just how much i'm missing out on all the great Manga currently on the market
3)Allow me to relive my teenage manga-crazed years
And 4)Have a hell of a good time reading an insanely cheesey love story
Loved this. Even if it was weird, odd and a little silly.
1)It gave me an excuse to visit the book store (something I rarely do thanks to Amazon/Kindle)
2) Remind me just how much i'm missing out on all the great Manga currently on the market
3)Allow me to relive my teenage manga-crazed years
And 4)Have a hell of a good time reading an insanely cheesey love story
Loved this. Even if it was weird, odd and a little silly.
August 12, 2023
You know this could be superadorable and sweet and had like the cutest art and there is tons of cute chemistry between the two, but I am a bit put-off by the butt-fetish of the male love interest along with the fact he is 24 and she is just 16. I know that by laws it is allowed, but sorry, not working for me. I would have rather liked him to be like 18 or so, that would have worked just a bit better for me. Age gaps are not bad, but an adult with a teen, just no.
July 19, 2020
Die Story ist ziemlich gut. Aber der Zeichnenstill ist etwas anders als ich gewohnt bin.
April 18, 2021
I really enjoyed my reading!
June 9, 2021
Cute but a little too naughty and pervy. The guy is a 24 year old star with some kind of butt fetish and she is an innocent high schooler who seems a little too young and inexperienced for him.
September 14, 2021
Oh gosh, how should I rate this manga? There were elements I liked, and then elements that I HATED. At this point (only volume 1, and then 10 pages into volume 2), I'm not sure if I want to continue this series. I might give it another volume or two at most if things don't improve.
To start off, there were a few things I liked. The art style was pretty. The male lead, female lead, the female lead's friends they were all nicely drawn. I also liked everyone's personality (minus Shige, Kaede's manager, and certain parts of Kaede's personality). The female lead was genuine, kind, and not over the top. She might seem a bit straight laced but she's overall just a normal high school student. The female lead's friends were also nice. They seemed to care about the FL and are again, just normal high school students.
There was one thing I disliked, Shige. Shige is Kaede's manager and he's just rude also minor spoiler . But Shige's personality is not that big of a problem, at most he's just an unlikeable character.
Now the things I HATED. I might give spoilers in the next 2 paragraphs, but I think it's important that I include them so that people who are considering reading this first volume know what they're getting into.
First, the ML's butt fetish. I'm totally fine with someone having a fetish or a preference for butts (as long as no one is hurt). So the ML actions of saying a mannequin's butt is not squishy enough and him wanting to get a panty flashing figurine (have you seen some anime figurines) is fine for me. After all these are inanimate objects. The part where he crossed the line was when he was looking at female high schooler's butts and GUESSING THEIR HIP MEASUREMENTS. Why are you, a grown 24 year old man, looking at underage girls' butts?! Also when the FL accidently flashed him, That's not an appropriate response, especially to a high school girl. The other incident that to me was inappropriate was when The situation is what made that response awkward and not OK in my books. She's underage, why are you talking about your with her? Also, she's in YOUR house, ALONE. That comment could come off as suggestive, in a bad way.
The second glaring problem is the age gap. It is not so much the age gap that matters, but how they are in different places in life and have a gap in mindset and power. The ML is 24, the FL is 16 or 17 (she's a second year in high school, high schools in Japan are only 3 years, so she's probably 16 turning 17). The ML has more experiences in life and works in the entertainment industry, so he's definitely not some innocent, fresh to love and intimacy type of person. Even if the ML never had a girlfriend or never had sex, he works in the entertainment industry; you grow up fast in the entertainment industry. The FL, on the other hand, is a high school girl that has never had any experience in dating or intimacy. She even hides the fact that she reads romance novels/movies because she thinks that's embarrassing.
This difference in mindset is really easy for a manipulative relationship to develop (in real life at least). Add to that the imbalance in power and places in life. The ML is an idol/star, so he has money and a following and is independent, whereas the FL still relies on her family for income and doesn't have access to media or have a following. A 7 or 8 year age gap is no problem, but the fact that the author chose to have the age gap set at high school and mid-20s is definitely troubling for me.
I especially hated how the first volume ended. It ended with the That whole situation setup and that one line can be be so easily misinterpreted and scary in a real life setting. Also, the FL is so innocent, she freakin cried when he That innocence combined with how much she looks up to him and to this relationship, is so easy for a manipulative or overly dependent relationship to develop. I'm not saying that this will happen to this manga, but it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth because I know in real life this setup is how many people fall into abusive/manipulative relationships. The only reason I know things won't go bad is because this is a Shoujo Manga, so take that into consideration when picking up this volume.
To start off, there were a few things I liked. The art style was pretty. The male lead, female lead, the female lead's friends they were all nicely drawn. I also liked everyone's personality (minus Shige, Kaede's manager, and certain parts of Kaede's personality). The female lead was genuine, kind, and not over the top. She might seem a bit straight laced but she's overall just a normal high school student. The female lead's friends were also nice. They seemed to care about the FL and are again, just normal high school students.
There was one thing I disliked, Shige. Shige is Kaede's manager and he's just rude also minor spoiler . But Shige's personality is not that big of a problem, at most he's just an unlikeable character.
Now the things I HATED. I might give spoilers in the next 2 paragraphs, but I think it's important that I include them so that people who are considering reading this first volume know what they're getting into.
First, the ML's butt fetish. I'm totally fine with someone having a fetish or a preference for butts (as long as no one is hurt). So the ML actions of saying a mannequin's butt is not squishy enough and him wanting to get a panty flashing figurine (have you seen some anime figurines) is fine for me. After all these are inanimate objects. The part where he crossed the line was when he was looking at female high schooler's butts and GUESSING THEIR HIP MEASUREMENTS. Why are you, a grown 24 year old man, looking at underage girls' butts?! Also when the FL accidently flashed him, That's not an appropriate response, especially to a high school girl. The other incident that to me was inappropriate was when The situation is what made that response awkward and not OK in my books. She's underage, why are you talking about your with her? Also, she's in YOUR house, ALONE. That comment could come off as suggestive, in a bad way.
The second glaring problem is the age gap. It is not so much the age gap that matters, but how they are in different places in life and have a gap in mindset and power. The ML is 24, the FL is 16 or 17 (she's a second year in high school, high schools in Japan are only 3 years, so she's probably 16 turning 17). The ML has more experiences in life and works in the entertainment industry, so he's definitely not some innocent, fresh to love and intimacy type of person. Even if the ML never had a girlfriend or never had sex, he works in the entertainment industry; you grow up fast in the entertainment industry. The FL, on the other hand, is a high school girl that has never had any experience in dating or intimacy. She even hides the fact that she reads romance novels/movies because she thinks that's embarrassing.
This difference in mindset is really easy for a manipulative relationship to develop (in real life at least). Add to that the imbalance in power and places in life. The ML is an idol/star, so he has money and a following and is independent, whereas the FL still relies on her family for income and doesn't have access to media or have a following. A 7 or 8 year age gap is no problem, but the fact that the author chose to have the age gap set at high school and mid-20s is definitely troubling for me.
I especially hated how the first volume ended. It ended with the That whole situation setup and that one line can be be so easily misinterpreted and scary in a real life setting. Also, the FL is so innocent, she freakin cried when he That innocence combined with how much she looks up to him and to this relationship, is so easy for a manipulative or overly dependent relationship to develop. I'm not saying that this will happen to this manga, but it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth because I know in real life this setup is how many people fall into abusive/manipulative relationships. The only reason I know things won't go bad is because this is a Shoujo Manga, so take that into consideration when picking up this volume.
August 25, 2018
O.O what did I just read?
Um.
Ok.
On the one hand, if I ignore ALL THE PANTY SHOTS AND PERVERTEDNESS, I enjoyed this. I liked Hinana and I liked that she's not poor or working a thousand wide jobs or hated at school or bullied or horrible parents. She's so refreshingly ordinary.
Even Ayase, despite his pervertedness, is pretty normal - a celebrity sure, but so far nothing REALLY scandalous right?
And yet.
His pervertedness would just suddenly HAPPEN every scene he's shown in. And it's not like he pervs on just Hinana.
I'll give this another volume or two, but I don't think this will be a keeper/re-read title for me.
Um.
Ok.
On the one hand, if I ignore ALL THE PANTY SHOTS AND PERVERTEDNESS, I enjoyed this. I liked Hinana and I liked that she's not poor or working a thousand wide jobs or hated at school or bullied or horrible parents. She's so refreshingly ordinary.
Even Ayase, despite his pervertedness, is pretty normal - a celebrity sure, but so far nothing REALLY scandalous right?
And yet.
His pervertedness would just suddenly HAPPEN every scene he's shown in. And it's not like he pervs on just Hinana.
I'll give this another volume or two, but I don't think this will be a keeper/re-read title for me.
January 10, 2022
Oh my God, I love it! Cute art (occasional funny sort of chibi-ness), funny story, super hot love interest! 5 stars. I need the next one! I just love fairy tales, and it's my first fairy tale retelling manga!
Reread January 9th, 2022
This was a fun reread. Hinana and Kaede are very compelling characters, with an entertaining dynamic and an endearing relationship that deepens with every volume. The art is gorgeous as well. 4.5 stars!
Reread January 9th, 2022
This was a fun reread. Hinana and Kaede are very compelling characters, with an entertaining dynamic and an endearing relationship that deepens with every volume. The art is gorgeous as well. 4.5 stars!
April 9, 2020
Hmm. I read this because it was listed on a top ten shoujo manga list, but it’s not my cup of tea. The hero is pretty pervy and immature AND he’s supposed to be 24 years old. The heroine is okay but 17 years old, so the age gap alone makes me uncomfortable here. I was under the impression that they’d both be around the same age before I started (assuming he was playing a high school student thus filming in a high school).
I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series.
I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series.
September 6, 2021
This is my second time reading this series. The first volume is really funny. I like the two main characters. The story isn’t anything special or different, but the humor is. It’s a bit more crass, but I think it really works.
The manga art is a little different than the usual. It’s still romantic and shoujo, but very defined. Could be a bit of same face with the two male romantic interests in the story.
The manga art is a little different than the usual. It’s still romantic and shoujo, but very defined. Could be a bit of same face with the two male romantic interests in the story.
December 13, 2018
3.5 stars
This was weird. I thought I was prepared for the weirdness, but I wasn't. At all.
I underestimated how weird this would be.
This was weird. I thought I was prepared for the weirdness, but I wasn't. At all.
I underestimated how weird this would be.
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