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The Girl with the Sanpaku Eyes #1
The Girl with the Sanpaku Eyes, Volume 1
Meet Amane Mizuno...
She's a girl with fierce sanpaku eyes, a soft and pure heart and she has fallen for a boy named Katou who has the exact opposite attitude! Will Amane ever be able to tell him how she feels?!
She's a girl with fierce sanpaku eyes, a soft and pure heart and she has fallen for a boy named Katou who has the exact opposite attitude! Will Amane ever be able to tell him how she feels?!
128 pages, Paperback
Published September 21, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 12, 2021
When I picked up this volume, I thought it would be really cute and fun. Thankfully, I was not disappointed by reading the volume. Mizuno is such an adorable protagonist, though she may look angry with her eyes, she is such an adorable marshmallow with a crush on her neighbor in class, Katou.
Watching them interact, it reminded me a lot of Komi and Todano from Komi Can't Communicate. The dynamic is adorable, and I am really excited to continue collecting this one!
Watching them interact, it reminded me a lot of Komi and Todano from Komi Can't Communicate. The dynamic is adorable, and I am really excited to continue collecting this one!
March 27, 2021
The translator never really says what "sanpaku eyes" are, although the author afterword indicates that they're eyes that don't sparkle. Googling tells me that they're eyes where you can see white space either above or below the iris. I've seen one anime that I know of that used the term - Log Horizon, in which the main character was said to have sanpaku eyes - and viewers were told that this meant he looked evil. In The Girl with the Sanpaku Eyes, it seems to indicate that the main character is intimidating and has an unfortunate case of "resting bitch face."
Anyway, Amane Mizuno may look intimidating and prickly on the outside, but inside she's sweet, pure, and more than a little awkward. She has an enormous crush on Mitsuhide Katou, the guy who sits next to her in class, but she has such a hard time talking to him that just saying "good morning" back when he greets her is a huge accomplishment.
In this volume, readers meet Amane, Katou, Amane's friends (Miyo Takiya and Yui Kawamura), and Amane's older brother. Amane interacts with Katou a bit and attempts to work up the courage to cheer him on during the school sports meet.
This was nice, I guess. Amane tries hard to talk to Katou and not do anything embarrassing around him. Katou clearly likes Amane back but has trouble reading her and is therefore a little intimidated by her. If they can manage to have a few conversations that last more than a minute or two, it shouldn't take long for romance to develop. Literally the only thing standing between them is their own anxiety about how the other person sees them.
Amane's best friends thinks she's the cutest and are super supportive of her crush on Katou. Miyo, in particular, is more than happy to set up situations in which Amane can interact with Katou one-on-one. Although there are no outside obstacles to Amane and Katou's romance, Amane's brother might prove to be a problem in future volumes - he loves Amane a lot, and I can absolutely imagine him being the overprotective big brother type (and since his appearance is even more intimidating than Amane's, all I can do is wish Katou good luck).
Sorato's art style took a bit to get used to, but I liked it overall, and this series is unusual (at least for English-translated manga) for being entirely in color. Which means readers can see just how embarrassed Amane gets as she constantly turns pink while trying to interact with Katou. It was a little painful, actually. Readers prone to secondhand embarrassment, like myself, may find themselves needing to pause occasionally - nothing enormously embarrassing happens to her (she misspeaks a bit and her stomach growls in Katou's presence), but her feelings are very intensely depicted.
Overall this was cute but not terribly memorable. Too much revolved around Amane's awkward attempts to interact with Katou - the volume's short length probably didn't help. I'll probably continue on with this series, but stick to library checkouts rather than purchasing it.
Extras:
A bonus comic and artwork inside the cover, a 2-page afterword comic by the author, a side story in which the volume's first scene is shown from Katou's POV, and another side story in which Miyo and Yui encounter Amane and her brother at the mall. The second side story bugged me a bit. I realize this is a comedy and Miyo and Yui are meant to be seen as Amane's super supportive friends, but they (particularly Miyo) seemed more like Amane's fan club than her friends. Miyo developed an instant crush on Amane's older brother, but only, apparently, because he struck her as being a male version of Amane (Yui's comment: "Miyo...aren't you only into girls? I mean, when you look at Amane, you're like a predator hunting its prey!").
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Anyway, Amane Mizuno may look intimidating and prickly on the outside, but inside she's sweet, pure, and more than a little awkward. She has an enormous crush on Mitsuhide Katou, the guy who sits next to her in class, but she has such a hard time talking to him that just saying "good morning" back when he greets her is a huge accomplishment.
In this volume, readers meet Amane, Katou, Amane's friends (Miyo Takiya and Yui Kawamura), and Amane's older brother. Amane interacts with Katou a bit and attempts to work up the courage to cheer him on during the school sports meet.
This was nice, I guess. Amane tries hard to talk to Katou and not do anything embarrassing around him. Katou clearly likes Amane back but has trouble reading her and is therefore a little intimidated by her. If they can manage to have a few conversations that last more than a minute or two, it shouldn't take long for romance to develop. Literally the only thing standing between them is their own anxiety about how the other person sees them.
Amane's best friends thinks she's the cutest and are super supportive of her crush on Katou. Miyo, in particular, is more than happy to set up situations in which Amane can interact with Katou one-on-one. Although there are no outside obstacles to Amane and Katou's romance, Amane's brother might prove to be a problem in future volumes - he loves Amane a lot, and I can absolutely imagine him being the overprotective big brother type (and since his appearance is even more intimidating than Amane's, all I can do is wish Katou good luck).
Sorato's art style took a bit to get used to, but I liked it overall, and this series is unusual (at least for English-translated manga) for being entirely in color. Which means readers can see just how embarrassed Amane gets as she constantly turns pink while trying to interact with Katou. It was a little painful, actually. Readers prone to secondhand embarrassment, like myself, may find themselves needing to pause occasionally - nothing enormously embarrassing happens to her (she misspeaks a bit and her stomach growls in Katou's presence), but her feelings are very intensely depicted.
Overall this was cute but not terribly memorable. Too much revolved around Amane's awkward attempts to interact with Katou - the volume's short length probably didn't help. I'll probably continue on with this series, but stick to library checkouts rather than purchasing it.
Extras:
A bonus comic and artwork inside the cover, a 2-page afterword comic by the author, a side story in which the volume's first scene is shown from Katou's POV, and another side story in which Miyo and Yui encounter Amane and her brother at the mall. The second side story bugged me a bit. I realize this is a comedy and Miyo and Yui are meant to be seen as Amane's super supportive friends, but they (particularly Miyo) seemed more like Amane's fan club than her friends. Miyo developed an instant crush on Amane's older brother, but only, apparently, because he struck her as being a male version of Amane (Yui's comment: "Miyo...aren't you only into girls? I mean, when you look at Amane, you're like a predator hunting its prey!").
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
September 21, 2020
2020 Read #592
So cute! This gave me major Kimi ni Todoke vibes even though this series is more of a comedy. I hope the rest of the series is as fun!
So cute! This gave me major Kimi ni Todoke vibes even though this series is more of a comedy. I hope the rest of the series is as fun!
March 29, 2024
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/dyxoqAyMmPI
THIS WAS SO CUTE!!!
I've waited SO long to start reading this series and the wait was well worth it! Pretty sure I smiled through the whole thing and cheered on our main girl! Her friends felt SUPER relatable because of the way they cheered for her and helped encourage her to be brave when it came to the boy she liked!
AND THE FACES AMANE MAKES!!! SOOOOOO CUTE!!
I couldn't help but root for her and hope that Katou would see that she is super sweet and very much likes him! Plus his interactions were super cute too, especially when he finds out she'll be cheering for him! So adorable!!
The color really helps bring everything to life and I'm very excited to read the next volume!! (Hopefully will see more of her brother too because he is hilarious!)
THIS WAS SO CUTE!!!
I've waited SO long to start reading this series and the wait was well worth it! Pretty sure I smiled through the whole thing and cheered on our main girl! Her friends felt SUPER relatable because of the way they cheered for her and helped encourage her to be brave when it came to the boy she liked!
AND THE FACES AMANE MAKES!!! SOOOOOO CUTE!!
I couldn't help but root for her and hope that Katou would see that she is super sweet and very much likes him! Plus his interactions were super cute too, especially when he finds out she'll be cheering for him! So adorable!!
The color really helps bring everything to life and I'm very excited to read the next volume!! (Hopefully will see more of her brother too because he is hilarious!)
August 4, 2026
Girl who does not know how to communicate her emotions meets cookie-cutter good boy that she’s in love with. Nothing crazy unique, but I love the colored pages & the character expressions are fun
November 4, 2022
While cute, this feels like a less fun version of No Matter What You Say, Furi-san is Scary!
I think it's because our main girl here is SO scared of everything, even to speak. She reminds me more of Komi than anything. This very much feels like Komi mixed with Furi-San, but don't think it is as funny as either or as cute.
Saying that it's enjoyable, the art in color is a nice change, and I'd read more but not sure if I'd buy more anytime soon.
A 3 out of 5.
I think it's because our main girl here is SO scared of everything, even to speak. She reminds me more of Komi than anything. This very much feels like Komi mixed with Furi-San, but don't think it is as funny as either or as cute.
Saying that it's enjoyable, the art in color is a nice change, and I'd read more but not sure if I'd buy more anytime soon.
A 3 out of 5.
January 25, 2021
Fans of Komi Can’t Communicate will feel right at home with Amane. I also think there’s some crossover appeal for fans of Please Tell Me! Galko-chan. Even if you’ve never engaged with either of those works, there’s definitely something here for every kind of fan, especially those who really vibe with the shoujo genre in general.
Read my full review here: https://butwhythopodcast.com/2021/01/...
Read my full review here: https://butwhythopodcast.com/2021/01/...
February 15, 2026
This was cute but not all the different from many other rom/com series. I do like that it gets right to the point and doesn't seem to be starting off with unnecessary drama. It's just a cozy, slice of life story about two people that (not so) secretly like each other. The color makes it stand out a bit and gives it its own personality.
March 27, 2021
This was so precious and the addition of color really added to its charm. I love that the "sanpaku" eyes is a family trait and how much Amane's friends look out for her.
October 30, 2021
3.5 stars. This was cute but a little light on content, I hope it develops more. The art is quite nice and is in full colour but sometimes the backgrounds are very simple or lacking completely.
November 2, 2021
Super cute.
January 30, 2022
Super cute
Lovely art work
A feel good read
Lovely art work
A feel good read
January 17, 2026
It was such a cute first volume! Amane is so sweet and Katou already likes her too, I’m so happy that they were able to add each other on Line.
January 18, 2026
It was fine, very short chapters about two high schoolers who like each other yelling at each other "good morning!" and having a few cute moments. Her friends are wonderful.
Basically she is really shy and has grumpy face but the guy she likes doesn't care and is building up the courage to further their relationship.
Basically she is really shy and has grumpy face but the guy she likes doesn't care and is building up the courage to further their relationship.
November 12, 2020
Cute story about a super shy girl negotiating the early parts of a relationship with her classmate. As often happens with such things, the "sanpaku eyes" aspect of the story is only relevant for the first few pages.
August 18, 2020
Well this is adorable.
October 15, 2020
Mizuno's painful shyness probably doesn't extend to everything, but regarding her crush on the guy who sits next to her in class, the girl is truly hopeless. Her best friends encourage her to strike up a conversation or two, and her other classmates seem content to snicker in the background, but when it comes to Mizuno gathering the courage to say "good morning" to the tall fellow named Katou, she is truly, utterly, hopeless.
THE GIRL WITH THE SANPAKU EYES #1 is a short and spry manga that sits only a few grams shy of being far too sugary to consume at all. Mizuno is the prototypical girl of a hard-edged demeanor who hides boundless frivolity and cuteness beneath the surface. Her crush on Katou notwithstanding, the girl adores stuffed animals, enjoys shopping, and doesn't mind hanging out with her siblings on the weekends. Mizuno, in short, is a nice girl. Perhaps the severe look she sends in everyone's direction is simply an external manifestation of her own awkwardness.
Whatever the case, readers of THE GIRL WITH THE SANPAKU EYES #1 will find little of fundamental, narrative concern, as characters dance around halfhearted teen romances from start to finish. From cheering for someone at a local sports meet to enduring the embarrassment of a growly belly during lunchtime, this manga is entirely lighthearted. Mizuno's fretting constitutes an overwhelming majority of the manga's narrative. Her anxiety and stress over vocalizing her affection is only modestly attenuated by Katou's clumsy nature.
And that's about it. The book's art grows more refined in the later chapters but broadly adheres to warm coloring and genteel designs that speak well of a comics universe in which nobody ever has bad intentions at any point in time. The hard chins inherent in Sorato's art make three-quarter angles agonizing to page through, but this is only a minor inconvenience. Altogether, the title's visual consistency is its highlight.
Elsewise, the story's lack of conflict makes the manga somewhat boorish. THE GIRL WITH THE SANPAKU EYES #1 is all about blushing cheeks, muffled squeaks, dower realizations, and teary-eyed stares into the distance. Katou is weakly written (it's not clear why Mizuno likes him) and the supporting cast consists of parrot characters without much differentiation. However, for readers interested in an easygoing title with nary a disappointment in sight, then this manga should make for a decent, afternoon pick-up.
THE GIRL WITH THE SANPAKU EYES #1 is a short and spry manga that sits only a few grams shy of being far too sugary to consume at all. Mizuno is the prototypical girl of a hard-edged demeanor who hides boundless frivolity and cuteness beneath the surface. Her crush on Katou notwithstanding, the girl adores stuffed animals, enjoys shopping, and doesn't mind hanging out with her siblings on the weekends. Mizuno, in short, is a nice girl. Perhaps the severe look she sends in everyone's direction is simply an external manifestation of her own awkwardness.
Whatever the case, readers of THE GIRL WITH THE SANPAKU EYES #1 will find little of fundamental, narrative concern, as characters dance around halfhearted teen romances from start to finish. From cheering for someone at a local sports meet to enduring the embarrassment of a growly belly during lunchtime, this manga is entirely lighthearted. Mizuno's fretting constitutes an overwhelming majority of the manga's narrative. Her anxiety and stress over vocalizing her affection is only modestly attenuated by Katou's clumsy nature.
And that's about it. The book's art grows more refined in the later chapters but broadly adheres to warm coloring and genteel designs that speak well of a comics universe in which nobody ever has bad intentions at any point in time. The hard chins inherent in Sorato's art make three-quarter angles agonizing to page through, but this is only a minor inconvenience. Altogether, the title's visual consistency is its highlight.
Elsewise, the story's lack of conflict makes the manga somewhat boorish. THE GIRL WITH THE SANPAKU EYES #1 is all about blushing cheeks, muffled squeaks, dower realizations, and teary-eyed stares into the distance. Katou is weakly written (it's not clear why Mizuno likes him) and the supporting cast consists of parrot characters without much differentiation. However, for readers interested in an easygoing title with nary a disappointment in sight, then this manga should make for a decent, afternoon pick-up.
January 12, 2022
Okay as far I know sanpaku means a person that shows some white in the bottom near the second small eyelash. I though it was because they have a permanent glare. A good example I could give is ryuuji from toradora he has those eyes and people seem to be scared of him. But this book give a twist to that image of sanpaku eyes it seems people like her but still have that idea she might be glaring at them. So what's this story about and why sanpaku is a big part of it well because the girl who's name is Amane has them. That is it just the main character has this type of eyes. Are they any conflicts in this story? Well, no, there is none and making the reason why I am conflicted on what rating i should give this book. I liked it. In a weird way. But if I must rates it due to its story and characters. it didn't have any. It has a small romance and she had difficulty saying anything to the guy she likes but what big conflict is there to continue the story. In a cute way she tried her best to talk to him but I thought she will have like some negative comments about her eyes but her love interest actually didn't care. Do I want to know what happen next with the small situations that happen between them? I will say, yes. But something to be a printed book... I'm sorry but no. I will love to read it just online instead. So I'm giving it a two star just for the small romance and the odd characters.
September 23, 2020
The Girl With Sanpaku Eyes marked two firsts for me. It’s the first cover-to-cover full color manga I’ve encountered and I think, visually, it makes this manga more appealing. The interior art from Shunsuke Sorato is very simple, so the color adds some depth. The story, likewise, is simple and predictable. It’s a very superficial romance between two very awkward teens. We’ll have to see if it can throw any interesting curves at us. This is also my first manga published by DENPA. It won’t be my last (I actually picked up another new series, Heavenly Delusions by them as well) as it is a lovely paperback—perfect size for sequential art, sweet french flaps, and tight binding. It’s much like the higher quality Viz Signature books.
February 8, 2023
This book was not ine I enjoyed very much at all. What originally caught my eye was the character and the coloring style. I thought the art was amazing and I still do! Though, and I've said this before, good art cannot make up for the lack of if story. It starts off with her being shy to talk to a dude so the next day she does. It goes well and she slowly keeps doing more. There is no struggle, problems in the way, ir mus communication. Just smooth sailing the whole way. The ending wasn't even worth it because there wasn't ever even a problem. Though I guess if you like slice if life romance it may be your book. Just not mine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2021
Loved this! The sexual content was tame, though one of her friends and her brother are a little weird, it wasn't obtrusive (which is good cause too much and I'm done). Love the cute love connection between Amane and Katou. I read some reviews where people complained about their relationship progressing not having enough static in it, I completely disagree. Its actually refreshing to read a manga where the two like each other straight off without a whole harem to battle through.
I love Amane as a character. I am so like Amane, when I like a guy I just can't look at him :)
I love Amane as a character. I am so like Amane, when I like a guy I just can't look at him :)
November 24, 2023
The full color manga is a rarity and this one has an extra layer of adorableness because of the color. The romance is fun because of the nervousness of initiating conversation with one another at school, then you add a gaggle of girls, rooting on each other in sports, and it's the kind of romance that anyone can get behind.
This one my son borrowed from the library and wanted to see if I would read it before he returned it. He's a fan of slice of life romances and also appreciated it's full color. He's already onto the second volume.
This one my son borrowed from the library and wanted to see if I would read it before he returned it. He's a fan of slice of life romances and also appreciated it's full color. He's already onto the second volume.
October 4, 2022
This girl has small eyes, she’s shy, and she is adored by her classmates and family. That’s pretty much it. Kind of feels like I’m reading the skeletal outline of Komi Can’t Communicate. It’s not bad, but it mostly feels like I’m just eating saltines.
The art is really nice, though. One of the few times a manga done in color works very well.
The art is really nice, though. One of the few times a manga done in color works very well.
September 11, 2023
Super cute! Rereading the first two books in the series so I can refresh before moving onto the latest releases. I remember loving this the first time I read it too. The art style is super cute and not something you see everyday. Of course, I also love that the entire series is in color, and features a lot of pink because the main characters are constantly blushing (adorable!)!
August 12, 2024
Basic concept, nothing too deep here (in this volume at least, don’t know about the others) so you’ll probably enjoy it if the general premise sounds appealing to you. This is not meant as a bash, just a general statement. I for one really liked this! The art and all the characters are super cute and I think the volume being fully colored is a nice touch. I will definitely be reading more.
December 27, 2024
Adorable!
I found this series to be absolutely adorable! The characters are a lot of fun. The art is a bit rough, but I really find it charming. I prefer manga art to be a bit rough instead of super clean. Super clean just feels so sterile because they're using digital instead of paper and ink.
I found this series to be absolutely adorable! The characters are a lot of fun. The art is a bit rough, but I really find it charming. I prefer manga art to be a bit rough instead of super clean. Super clean just feels so sterile because they're using digital instead of paper and ink.
February 21, 2021
Nothing of substance happens, the characters are shallow and lack any depth. Just repeated gags about MC-chan being unable to communicate, without any of the charm of Komi-san. Art's okay. The pages being full color was neat.
May 2, 2021
3.5 stars. Such a cute and wholesome manga. Also, love that it's in colour! Only downside is that it's quite short, 126 pages, and there isn't really an overarching storyline. Each chapter is more like a little sketch. Still, it gave me the serotonin boost I needed.
May 6, 2021
Soft and pure! About a girl who seems scary from the outside but is an adorable ball of shy on the inside + the boy she likes who is cute on the outside & inside and wants to get to know her.
I actually found it a bit too sweet though since it didn't have much substance to balance it out.
I actually found it a bit too sweet though since it didn't have much substance to balance it out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews