A Kiss, For Real, Vol. 1

セキララにキス [Sekirara ni Kiss] #1

by Fumie Akuta

Chitose is a high school girl who lives her life wearing a “mask” in order to be liked by everyone. One day, a boy named Itsuki saves her from a pervert. Unable to forget his eyes, she follows him to an art prep school!! Then, Chitose was led around the prep school by Itsuki, but he sees through her fake façade… This is a sweet but sadistic love story between a mask-wearing girl and a free-spirited boy!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Shojo, Young Adult, Comics, Contemporary, Fiction

170 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2015

Reviews

[Kayla Brunson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super cute and I can’t wait to read more. Even if nothing romantic happens between them, I adore the way Itsuki cared and gave Chitose advice on how to change. Seeing her actually feeling okay with being herself was such a great thing to witness.

I can’t wait to read more about Chitose’s journey and her experience!

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[Zala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Placeholder for volumes 1-9

So refreshing to see a wholesome romance in a shoujo. It's also very much a coming of age story.

[Kadi P · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl who wears a “mask” in order to be liked by other people is pretty generic as it is, but add in a guy who happens to see through the mask and also randomly kisses her the first time they ever meet? Now that’s pushing it. And then he says he doesn’t believe in love... so why did he kiss her?! Either there’s a complete lack of logic in this manga or the male love interest is a rude and creepy guy who teases a girl by sexually harassing her.

The inclusion of the I’ll-keep-pursuing-him-even-after-he rejected-me trope was cliche and relatively lame, especially considering the male lead flip-flopped between being vaguely kind and being almost pathologically harsh. Apart from the fact that he was “hot” (although he had the same generic hot guy looks of every manga male love interest in existence) there wasn’t much about his varying demeanour that appealed to me and I found it hard to understand why he appealed to the protagonist either.

The protagonist wasn’t much better. She acted as though she had never experienced anything fun in her life which was an absurd suggestion and there was something pathetic about the way she couldn’t be in the vicinity of the love interest without grovelling all over him even after she’d been rejected. She used her crush as an excuse to change herself when she should’ve changed herself simply for herself. The irony of her trying to show her real self for the love interest’s benefit when all she was doing was putting on a different mask for him was kind of sad and not something that was likely to change for the better over the next few vols.

[Hisgirl85 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute...interesting with growing confidence and art prep school.

[Rereader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit right off the bat, there is nothing terribly new about this particular series. Someone keeping their true self hidden from everyone with a "mask" is nothing new (I pretty much just described the entire Persona series) but what I really liked about this one was Chitose's willingness to move forward, even after a few hiccups. I was genuinely impressed when, after she accidentally ripped Itsuki's canvas, she gathered the courage to ask someone else how she could make it up to him. Seeing her willing to ask someone for help (whilst not wearing her "mask") showed a big step in personal growth for her, and the fact that she admitted that she liked Itsuki to Meguro while asking for help was refreshing, too. It showed her willingness to be honest, even towards a stranger she initially didn't like. The pacing is a little fast and it would have been nice to have seen more scenes where she wears her "mask" before she meets Itsuki, but it isn't a big deal. At first I was kind of turned off by Itsuki's bluntness, bordering on rudeness towards Chitose when she had her "mask" on, but after seeing how much Chitose grows as a character from said bluntness I understand why he did what he did. Not to mention it is established in the manga that blunt/rudeness is part of his personality so it doesn't feel out of place or forced when he's like that to Chitose.
What I liked most about this series so far is its willingness to have its characters be honest. Rather than have Chitose lie about her motivations, she truly thinks about why she wants to do something (such as join the art prep school) and is honest about her intentions when something happens (she wants to apologize to Itsuki because she made a mistake and because she likes him). Not that this is unique to this particular series but it is a welcome breath of fresh air from the tired "I have to keep my emotions/intentions to myself until the inevitable blow up where everybody finds out" romance stories I am used to. I enjoyed this manga more than I thought I would, and am looking forward to reading the second volume.

[Sarah D. · Rating 1 out of 5]

So far, half way through the manga and...there's just no hook. I don't find myself wanting to turn the page, and I'd rather read something else.

The art is great (I'd give the volume 3 stars on the art alone), but the story is just lost on me. Doubtful I'll be finishing this one, or picking up the next volume.

[Cass · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Lewerentz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un bon début pour ce shôjo. Une histoire qui peut sembler un peu "neuneu" mais je trouve le contexte original (école d'art) et qui aborde des thèmes pas si légers.

[Mehsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl wearing a mask to hide her true self meets a boy who doesn’t want her to wear that mask.


😍Liked that the MC was able to get even more creative and that her parents supported her. She was worried because she had to help out a lot at the restaurant, so I was delighted that her parents and also her sister said yes and made sure to take over things.
😍She wasn’t even that bad at drawing (even though she thought she was, which I could recognise as something of my own). I am sure that if she keeps drawing she can reach high levels.
😍The art was nice and I love the style.
😍I could understand her wearing a mask. Do the same thing for various situations for various reasons. I have seen how people react when I show my real side, the one with ADHD and autism. Not a success.
😍But I was proud that she was also able to put down her mask at times, learn that people didn’t mind if she wasn’t always radiant or shiny.
😍Getting backstory on why she is wearing the mask. Why she wants to be liked so much.

😬The male love interest kisses her and then when she develops feelings is like, yeah, no I don’t do that stuff. I don’t fall in love. I just kissed you to get a reaction/to see your mask slip. I just wanted to punch him. Also how he went from hot to cold to hot to cold. Boo, you are confusing everyone.
😬How our MC just didn’t seem to understand the guy had zero interest in her. She just kept following him. Kept trying to be with him. While I did love that she was able to do more creative stuff, I wonder if she did it because she truly like it or if she did it so she could be closer to him?
😬Why he was so huffy about her wearing a mask. Throughout the book I could see him do the same as his real personality was much different from what he showed. He was just so rude about it.

All in all, a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand I had fun, but on the other hand the male love interest? I just wanted to punch him. Haha. Maybe I will read more of this one, for now, nah.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Sonja Lovinbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

True kisses ist ein wundervoller Manga. Ich habe gleich auf den ersten Seiten mein Herz verloren, weil zum einen der Zeichenstil ganz nach meinem Geschmack ist und zum anderen klar ist, dass Chitose viel mehr zu bieten hat als das was sie den anderen zeigt. Sie versteckt sich hinter einer Maske aus Oberflächlichkeiten, Freundlichkeit und einer stets heiteren Art. Sie ist zu allen freundlich und hat immer ein Lächeln auf dem Gesicht. Dabei kennt aber niemand ihre wahre Art und sie verheimlicht diese aufs strengste. Aber als sie auf Itsuki trifft stößt sie das erste Mal auf Ablehnung was ihre Maske betrifft. Denn er mag die “echte” Chitose viel lieber.
Ich fand den Auftakt dieser neuen Reihe total schön. Besonders weil die Liebe zur Kunst dargestellt wird und ich es total süß fand, wie Chitose sich für das Basteln begeistert. Ich fand die Entwicklung von Chitose toll und die Freundschaft mit Itsuki sehr interessant. Ich bin ziemlich gespannt, wie sich diese Freundschaft entwickelt und ich bin sehr begeistert von Band 1. Ich mag es, wenn ein Manga etwas tiefgründiger ist.

Dieser Auftakt zu der neuen Reihe “True kisses” hat mir unheimlich gut gefallen. Die Protagonisten sind goldig und ich mag die Entwicklung. Auch der Zeichenstil hat es mir sehr angetan. Ich bin gespannt auf die Fortsetzung.
5 von 5 Punkten

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Kiss, For Real, Vol. 1 is a charming, though familiar, start to a new romance series. The story introduces us to Chitose, a girl who, after being bullied as a child, has perfected a "rainbow style" smiling persona to avoid getting hurt. This facade, however, has left her feeling empty and disconnected from her true self. Come on girl, drop the bullshit!

The plot kicks off when she has a chance encounter with Itsuki, a free-spirited boy who immediately sees through her carefully constructed mask. This confrontation is the catalyst for Chitose's journey. He even gives her a little kissy kiss. Bad boy you! BAD BOY! (SHE LIKES IT THO GET IT!) Intrigued by Itsuki, she follows him to an art prep school, where she begins to slowly peel back the layers of her persona. She finds herself making new friends and, in a refreshingly straightforward moment, admits her feelings for Itsuki early on.

While the plot of a girl finding her true self through the love of a perceptive boy is a well-worn shojo trope, the execution here is solid and enjoyable. The pacing is well handled, and the art is a delight. It's a laid-back and fun read that, despite its lack of originality, is a great start to what promises to be a cute romance. For a simple and sweet story, this manga is a solid choice.

A 3.5 out of 5, I'll bump it to a 4.

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un altre shojo que em deixa el cor dividit, encara que mantinc l'esperança per al proper volum. Com a punts positius tenim un ritme àgil i trepidant, amb declaracions, petons robats i força acció que es podria esperar en uns quants volums més endavant i moltíssima expressivitat en les il·lustracions. Ara bé, la dinàmica de la parella principal em sembla contradictòria (per què el noi li fa un petó sense venir a tomb de res i després li demana perdó si ho ha malinterpretat, que ell no creu en l'amor????) i em fa ràbia que s'ajusti a clixés com ara que la noia porta una màscara per mantenir les aparences i encaixar, que el noi també sembli ocultar els seus sentiments i s'intueix que potser es coneixen des de petits... El teló de fons de l'acadèmia d'art també en grinyola perquè no és gaire realista, sembla un afegitó, una excusa perquè els protagonistes es vegin més sovint i alhora es puguin mostrar vulnerable. Veurem com avança...

[Ray Flores · Rating 2 out of 5]

No creo continuar con la serie porque este primer volumen no me atrapó lo suficiente.

En general nos habla de una chica que utiliza una máscara frente a otros para ser querida, sin embargo, el interés romántico ha visto a través de ella y no se quedó prendado de sus encantos, sino todo lo contrario. De hecho, la única manera en la que la trata bien es cuando ella baja su guardia y se olvida de pretender ser otra persona.

Ahora bien, el dibujo es regular, nada del otro mundo. Y pese a que tenía una premisa que quizá evolucione a algo interesante, personalmente no me gusta que las personas te besen de la nada –ya sé que es ficción, pero se les olvida que el consentimiento, así sea un abrazo o un beso, es importante. Quizá lo hubiera dejado pasar si es que los personajes me llamasen la atención, pero lo cierto es que no.

Qué bueno que me puse a leer el manga online antes de comprarlo porque fue una experiencia muy extraña.

[Natalie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

November 2023
Kindle edition
KU manga

A little cute, but at the same time a little annoying. Chitose with a mask to be likeable in place, slowly wearing herself down and Itsuki who has kissed her, says he'd never like her and yet continues to tease her. There's a lot going on and it feels like a long will they won't they coming. I like the art, but the characters I have yet to decide on.

[°• Lulu •° · Rating 3 out of 5]

J’ai bien aimé ce premier tome. Même si cela reste un shôjo « classique » je suis plutôt contente qu’on parle du milieu de l’arts et du dessin. J’ai bien aimé le personnage de Chitobe et de Itsuki. J’attend de voir la suite ;)

[D E N Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminds me of "Blue Period" but mixed with romance.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review will be for the whole series; read at your own risk!

Read 3 volumes

Ahhh this was so cute! I loved seeing Chitose start to drop her mask and become comfortable with others. I really root for the two to get together!

Edit 1/10/22: I seriously have a weakness for adorable high school romance triangles in manga. THINGS ARE GETTING SO GOOD!

[Vanessa ♔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute and I like the topic of finding oneself, but I hated that she was so obsessed with Itsuki from the very first second.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuuuttteeee

Its funny because people aren't this forward in Japan. But I love the concept. And enjoy they love art. And how much you wanna bet HE was the boy from her past

[Coribookprincess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das Cover hatte mich in den Bann gezogen, sodass der Manga einfach einziehen musste.
Ich wurde absolut nicht enttäuscht.

Band 1 hat so viel Tiefgang und spricht einfach wichtige Botschaften an.
Chitose verstellt sich und versteckt sich fast den ganzen Tag hinter einer Maske.
Immerzu lächelt sie und versucht sich unauffällig zu integrieren.

Bis sie auf Itsuki trifft - er wirbelt einmal alles auf und zeigt ihr das sie einfach sie selber sein soll.

Zudem entdeckt sie ihre Leidenschaft wider und versucht einfach sie selber zu sein, stellt sich kleinen Herausforderungen in der Kunst-Academy.

Ein wundervoller, süßer Mange mit so einer bedeutungsvollen Botschaft.
Sei einfach du selbst - und lebe das Leben.

Ich freue mich schon auf die weiteren Bände!!

[Glasdow Teacosy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Awakening Kiss

Art: ★★★★☆
Story: ★★★★★

This is my third time reading this series, and it has become more of a favorite of mine with each subsequent reading. First of all, there is the grand sense of nostalgia for me because I attended art school. I enjoy the little touches here and there, the concrete details of the daily art student's life. However, art school is not the point of this manga. Art school is the vehicle that drives Chitose to a new understanding of herself and what she wants out of life.

There have been some complaints by other reviewers about the stolen kiss. Some reviewers have fixated on the lack of consent. I noticed that many of those same reviewers did not mention that Chitose also stole a kiss, turning about the dynamic against Itsuki, the male lead. If they bailed on the series after this volume, they will have missed out that this same turn in dynamic is played out later in the series as Chitose, now the one in control, is the one to point out Itsuki's glib irreverence is his own mask.

A stolen kiss is a difficult feat to manage. I imagine I am not very different from others in this regard, but if somebody were to move their face into my space to steal a kiss, I would flinch, especially if it was somebody who I had no romantic feelings towards. The first stolen kiss in this story (and the second) is a narrative artifice to jumpstart the romance as well as fulfill the title. The American translation of this title lacks nuance. The Japanese title refers to a kiss of transformation, a kiss that awakens Chitose to a different state of mind. That's probably a bit of a mouthful to put on a book cover.

Chitose herself regards that first kiss as a form of harassment. She recognizes that Itsuki was being insincere as he broke through her mask. He was rude. He offended her. He made her cry. If the author, who is female, wrote it this way, and the main female character understands it as harassment, but still pursues the boy, then the kiss is not just titillating, but titular. Why is she still attracted to this boy? Chitose's attempt to discover what feelings Itsuki has awoken in her is what leads her to a greater sense of self. Spoiler: Chitose's attraction to Itsuki becomes secondary to her quest for self-fulfillment.

I found the mask aspect of Chitose's character very fascinating. Not only could I relate with it to some degree, but I have encountered people like her. I can say that masked individuals do not enjoy it when somebody pokes at the mask and points out that it's there. Discovering why Chitose allows Itsuki to get away with it is part of her self-discovery. We get a clue on the page after she considers his stolen kiss as harassment. He likes her work. This, accentuated with the kiss, is the inciting incident that leads Chitose through several volumes of personal growth.

[Kathaflauschi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vielen Dank an den Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar. Den Manga "True Kisses" hatte ich vorher nicht so wirklich vor Augen gehabt. Als ich dann durch die Manga Liste vom Egmont Verlag durchgegangen bin, ist mir das Cover dann schnell ins Auge gesprungen und es hat mein Interesse geweckt. Mich konnte dieser Manga dann wirklich packen. Ich war ab der ersten Seite gebannt, da dieser Manga auch gleich eine wichtige Botschaft übermittelt. Man lernt Chitose kennen, die sich hinter einer Maske versteckt. Dabei spielt sie immer das freundliche und liebevolle Mädchen, die jedem hilft und beliebt sein möchte. Der Grund dafür liegt in ihrer Vergangenheit. Nichts ahnend das jemand hinter ihre Maske blicken könnte. Itsuki nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund und findet die "echte" Chitose besser. Jedesmal wen sie ihre Maske aufsetzt, verschließt er sich und setzt eine gelangweilte Miene auf.

Beide Charakter mochte ich auf Anhieb, obwohl mir Chitose ganz am Anfang etwas überheblich vor kam. Das hat sich aber in den wenigen Seiten schnell geändert, nachdem man auch hinter ihre Maske blicken konnte. Sie trägt ein Schmerz in sich, von dem niemand versteht und die in ihr Ängste hervorrufen. Itsuki war ein Augenschmauß. Er war freundlich und hilfsbereit und konnte direkt hinter Chitoses Maske blicken. Er ist mir sogar mit seiner direkten und ehrlichen Art ans Herz gewachsen. Die Nebencharakter konnten mich genauso begeistern. Keiner von ihnen trug wirklich eine Maske und Chitose hat sich mehr und mehr getraut, ihre Maske fallen zu lassen.

Der Zeichenstil war dabei wirklich sanft und trotzdem so Ausdrucksstark. Welche Gefühle die Charakter plagten, konnten man anhand ihrer Gesichtsaudrücke gut erkennen. Es wird auch eine wichtige Botschaft übermittelt, wobei es auch ein wenig kultur in Japan ist. Ich hab diesen Manga ins Herz geschlossen und freue mich auch, wie es weiter geht und bin auf die Fortsetzung gespannt. Eine klare Leseempfehlung von mir.

[Maraya21 (The Reading Dragon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

💯 Read for the 2021 MacHalo Splendiferous Book Bingo Thingie (MSBBT™) challenge at the MacHalo Asylum 💯

  
    •• 5. Behind the Mask ••
  

[Dilliemillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept is a good one - a girl who hides behind a fake personality because she fears people not liking her learns to show her real self to others. The art is beautiful and the story itself focuses on an art school- very cool!

The first volume has a bit of a rough start. The masking isn't explained very clearly and seems to be wielded as an as-needed plot device rather than an actual characterization. Kisses and harsh treatment are used in an uncomfy manipulative way.

It's certainly not all bad though. The side characters are fun and the art school angle is interesting. The bickering rudeness between Itsuki and Meguro is like a hilarious brother-sister relationship and I love it. Even though Chitose is a little head over heels, she retains more identity than many lovesick shoujo main characters. Getting closer to her crush is a goal, but a goal that often comes second to her interest in art and pursuit of being a more honest version of herself.

There's cuteness and promise here, so I'm crossing my fingers and continuing!

[Cami Luna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been a really good story, I really mean it, but there were some actions, some moments that made me realize that this is not a manga for me. Sorry guys.
I really like the idea of our female lead being this two-faced girl who is afraid to show her true identity to the world, but with time we realize that it wasn't really the big deal and the story COMPLETELY forgets about it. It was really shitty, a completely missed opportunity.
And then we have Itsuki brother... They are really problematic if you ask me. If I've known them, I will run as far as I can. The main lead is truly confused all the time, I almost feel sorry for him. And his brother, Yui, agh. He is supposed to be this grown man who is in love with Chitose so he is going to fight for her, bla, bla, bla. For me, HE IS JUST A CREEP.
sorry, I won't be part of this party.

[Cecilia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not for me. I just couldn't get into the story. I didn't care for the characters or even the story itself. The FMC is supposed to have a mask over her true self that she gradually drops for a boy but I didn't understand the real reason for the mask. I wish they had shown more of her getting bullied at a younger age to make her adopting the mask seem more understandable. I also thought based on the things she said about herself that she'd be a weird girl but she wasn't so it made the mask seem unnecessary to begin with. Everyone was also very accepting of her so it just seemed pointless.

[Forthright . · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's an art prodigy who keeps everyone at a distance. She has the beginnings of a crush, even though she knows nothing about him. (Pretty boy problems.) When she follows him to his art prep school, she's intrigued and enrolls. He's already written her off as another groupie, but it's impossible to ignore the fact that she's in it for the art & she's having fun.

I'm enjoying the pace of this. They're getting to know each other little by little, and they're becoming friends. I like the foundation they're building & plan to read on.

[Zian B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume started out really interesting but around midway through I started to lose some interest in it. The idea of a girl always wearing a mask then learning to lose it as she makes friends in an art prep class is really interesting. However, the execution of the idea isn’t the best since we don’t see the girl struggling with it as much as she did in the very beginning of the volume.
I want to like this story a lot more, but it doesn’t have that good of a hook. I’m going to read the 2nd volume just to give this series the benefit of the doubt.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume moved Incredibly fast to the point where I thought I skipped a volume before this one. It wasn’t bad by any means but it also wasn’t great. Something I enjoyed was how I feel like I could relate to the main character on feeling like I had to become someone else because I was scared no one would like the real me. The main male lead is a bit strange and I’m not sure how I feel about his character. There was also two kisses done without consent so… I’ll read the next volume just to see if it gets a bit better

[Doc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be true to yourself

This was an interesting and sometimes cute story about a girl who at an early age decides it best to wear a mask for everyone she meets so she cannot be hated. One day after being warned about a pervert by a handsome young man she discovers a new passion and an opportunity to shed the stressful tendency to hide her personality. With some interesting hints on art each of the characters that she meets have their own quirks and talents as she does her best to understand how this boy was able to see through her mask and what is ultimately on his own mind.