What do you think?
Rate this book
サルヤマっ！ [Saruyama!] #8
Monkey High!, Vol. 8
Haruna Aizawa thinks that school life is just like a monkey mountain--all the monkeys form cliques, get into fights, and get back together again. The school that she just transferred to is no exception. There's even a boy called Macharu Yamashita who reminds her of a baby monkey!
Talk of a future engagement between Haruna and her father's right-hand man puts a damper on Haruna and Macharu's relationship. Macharu fights back in a way only he knows how--by having Haruna live with him! Will monkey love conquer all?
Talk of a future engagement between Haruna and her father's right-hand man puts a damper on Haruna and Macharu's relationship. Macharu fights back in a way only he knows how--by having Haruna live with him! Will monkey love conquer all?
192 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2008
2 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 15, 2016
Okay, so I've read the complete volumes. And nothing. I have nothing to complain at all. Haruna bothered me a bit when she was confessed by Atsu but it went clear right away when she didn't waver about her feeling for Matcharu all the way to the end. And Macharu is just adorable from the first volume to the last. He acts so innocence and can be such a kid but then he clearly shows that he's a man when he needed to be. I love how he stand up to Haruna's father and how confident he is even when everyone else try to degrade him.
November 3, 2018
Okay so, essentially yes, it kinda got pretty long winded and dragged and I wanted it to end at volume 5 but it was still sweet and really cute, Macharu of course was the star of the show. Not my type but he was such a total goof ball.
Reading this made me miss my own school days. The friends, the pranks, everyday adventure.
January 26, 2020
How did they make it? They really love each other and are willing to go through the hard times in order to be by each other’s side. I want that kind of love too. 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2022
wtf fue ese final hell no
2 de 5 estrellas.
2 de 5 estrellas.
October 14, 2022
overall, this was a a pretty light + cute series. macharu’s great^^and haruna was a bit eh sometimes (mostly in the beginning) but as things went on, things evened out and im pretty happy with where we left off :).
kobu deserves better tho.
(and also what was astu trying to say at the end akaajjs)
kobu deserves better tho.
(and also what was astu trying to say at the end akaajjs)
April 6, 2014
Oh my goodness, I'm so glad I finally got ahold of this! Love it! Love it! Love it! So sad that the series is over. I want to see them go off to college and see what comes next for them. Such a cute couple. :) Yes, I love this series in case you can't tell.
July 23, 2022
it’ll be what huh atsu
August 28, 2025
Overall great and satisfying ending. A lot of cuteness and hope for the their future as they continue to be loving and caring.
Note: there was stupid fatphobia in this volume.
Overall, I can see why this see why this series is beloved. It was high energy, cute, and adorable couple that are really good together. It may have been a little longer than needed but I enjoyed each volume. The art is adorable as well.
If you like black cat/ golden retriever couples and where the woman is the tsundere in the couple with the chaotic nature 90s/early 2000s shoujo can have this is for you.
Note: there was stupid fatphobia in this volume.
Overall, I can see why this see why this series is beloved. It was high energy, cute, and adorable couple that are really good together. It may have been a little longer than needed but I enjoyed each volume. The art is adorable as well.
If you like black cat/ golden retriever couples and where the woman is the tsundere in the couple with the chaotic nature 90s/early 2000s shoujo can have this is for you.
April 14, 2021
What a good series! GR has been recommending it for years and I finally gave up and read it. It was so worth it! I mean, reading a good shōjo series always makes me in a very good mood.
My favorite character in this last volume: Kobu, for sure. I like his little bonus story so much!
I've bought some other old manga series. I'll be slowly reading them, while - at the same time - I try to make a dent in my huge collection.
My favorite character in this last volume: Kobu, for sure. I like his little bonus story so much!
I've bought some other old manga series. I'll be slowly reading them, while - at the same time - I try to make a dent in my huge collection.
April 15, 2021
This is the end of the series! I felt that the mangaka shouldn't have added the "engagement", as it did nothing for the story but gave more mischief for the friend group to get into. I love that the two finally get to be together and that they won't let Haruna's father get the last say.
My one big critique of the series is the constant fat-shaming of one of the guy characters. I get its there for gags, but it is always mention and doesn't add anything to the story.
My one big critique of the series is the constant fat-shaming of one of the guy characters. I get its there for gags, but it is always mention and doesn't add anything to the story.
February 7, 2022
Que bonita serie!! Me ha gustado mucho más de lo que me esperaba la verdad. Todos los personajes me han parecido super adorables, tanto los protas como los secundarios. Eso sí, acabé un poco harta de Atsu molestando siempre a Macharu, le acabé cogiendo un poco de tirria.
En general es una serie que me atrapó desde el primer volumen y de la que me gustaría poder ver más cosas.
En general es una serie que me atrapó desde el primer volumen y de la que me gustaría poder ver más cosas.
March 17, 2024
The ending was good! Happy and typical but it’s what I wanted for the main couple!!! Macharu has to be one of my favorite male leads!!!! He’s not the typical love interest. I LOVE THAT!
Overall this series surprised me! I didn’t expect to love it so much. I literally binge read it in 2 days. It was hilarious, sweet and made my heart so happy (EXCEPT FOR ATSU. I’ll hate him always)…
Overall this series surprised me! I didn’t expect to love it so much. I literally binge read it in 2 days. It was hilarious, sweet and made my heart so happy (EXCEPT FOR ATSU. I’ll hate him always)…
March 24, 2024
Overall me ha gustado leer Monkey High, aunque me ha parecido mas largo de lo necesario, a partir del tomo 6 como que empieza a aburrir un poco y estaba esperando a que terminara ya. Me ha parecido muy cute y bastante wholesome,, un poco confusa de porque aparece mas el mejor amigo que el propio novio? pero bueno. romcom vieja pa pasar el rato y reir un poco issokay!
June 4, 2020
Definitely not my favorite choice in an ending personally. Check out my full thoughts on the series in this reaction vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXRq-...
April 6, 2021
oop i forgot that i already read this lmaooo
this was a sweet, innocent (not so innocent though apparently *cough*), and quick read. i quite liked it.
this was a sweet, innocent (not so innocent though apparently *cough*), and quick read. i quite liked it.
June 12, 2022
Notes: yeah it ended like i thought it would. Atsu's still a lil bitch and Kobuhei is the center of the oh-so-funny fat jokes.
January 28, 2023
*Rating: 4.5*
October 30, 2013
"i worry for kids growing up on the new crop of teen fiction. the relationships always seems to have one paranormal participant, and it's hardly fair for actual teens. how can they compete with these? do kids get all sad after they lose their virginities and it is not as magical as they have been led to expect?? when beds do not rotate and literal sparks do not fly and they are not transported to the past?"
(From a review of Beautiful Creatures, you can read the full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
I think this is one of the first "realistic" love stories I've read in which someone doesn't die. It really is about the drama of everyday life and two people with different temperaments growing together as a couple.
The premise of the story is that a "cool girl" falls in love with the class clown. I was never convinced that H was a "cool girl" at all. We only see that she's super defensive towards other people, and that she's popular because of the novelty of a wealthy, good-looking girl picking a short, immature, "baby monkey" for her boyfriend.
In these books there is an analogy between a High School class and a tribe of monkeys...like the animal kind. Everyone in the class is loud, obnoxious, and playfully antagonistic.
I don't know a whole lot about the social dynamics of monkeys, I'm assuming it's more understandable in Japan. I have, however, met people who make me think "Have I just stepped into a circus?" So I guess I can understand it on that level.
The whole story spans about three years (not that they grow or mature very much in that time) but it was interesting to see how constant their affection was for each other, now non-judgmental they are, and how supportive they were of each other without having the character's feel completely like cardboard cut-outs. It really is the type of love story most of us should be aspiring to.
That being said, the parts of this story I liked most are the ones that feature one of H or M's family members or the conversations between H and A.
Conclusion: In the postscript of the first book, the author says that she made a conscious decision to avoid featuring H's family...opting instead to focus on the couple. In the long run, think that was a poor choice. The decision would have been fine if the story were only about how a couple fell in love, but it's not. They fell in love in the first book; the rest of the eight books are them dealing with life.
There are some really poignant aspects of the story like sibling reconciliation and dysfunctional parent-child relationships that aren't explored like they should be because the author said "No, I'm not going to do that...cuz this is a 'womance!"
(From a review of Beautiful Creatures, you can read the full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
I think this is one of the first "realistic" love stories I've read in which someone doesn't die. It really is about the drama of everyday life and two people with different temperaments growing together as a couple.
The premise of the story is that a "cool girl" falls in love with the class clown. I was never convinced that H was a "cool girl" at all. We only see that she's super defensive towards other people, and that she's popular because of the novelty of a wealthy, good-looking girl picking a short, immature, "baby monkey" for her boyfriend.
In these books there is an analogy between a High School class and a tribe of monkeys...like the animal kind. Everyone in the class is loud, obnoxious, and playfully antagonistic.
I don't know a whole lot about the social dynamics of monkeys, I'm assuming it's more understandable in Japan. I have, however, met people who make me think "Have I just stepped into a circus?" So I guess I can understand it on that level.
The whole story spans about three years (not that they grow or mature very much in that time) but it was interesting to see how constant their affection was for each other, now non-judgmental they are, and how supportive they were of each other without having the character's feel completely like cardboard cut-outs. It really is the type of love story most of us should be aspiring to.
That being said, the parts of this story I liked most are the ones that feature one of H or M's family members or the conversations between H and A.
Conclusion: In the postscript of the first book, the author says that she made a conscious decision to avoid featuring H's family...opting instead to focus on the couple. In the long run, think that was a poor choice. The decision would have been fine if the story were only about how a couple fell in love, but it's not. They fell in love in the first book; the rest of the eight books are them dealing with life.
There are some really poignant aspects of the story like sibling reconciliation and dysfunctional parent-child relationships that aren't explored like they should be because the author said "No, I'm not going to do that...cuz this is a 'womance!"
December 30, 2015
Final thoughts on the series in general:
Great slice-of-life high school romance. I'm kind of in love with the heroine of this series. Haruna is practical, level-headed, and ultimately kind of cool (as in, like, chilly), but not in an obnoxious tsundere way or anything. Refreshing after a lifetime spent reading shoujo romances with whiny, overdramatic heroines. It's also refreshing to read a shoujo romance where the couple starts out together and their relationship grows. I guess that's become more popular in the last decade (thinking of 'Say I Love You' and 'Kimi ni Todoke') but man, back in the 90s you had to be in it for the long haul.
I haven't read many other reviews, but I'm willing to bet that Atsuyuki is a polarizing character. I think he's fantastic and definitely added to the story. It seemed like his feelings for Haruna did become more genuine, but I think she ultimately had him pegged: it's Macharu he really loves (agape [well, philia], not eros, as their homeroom teacher would point out). I love that kind of dynamic in a love triangle.
Great slice-of-life high school romance. I'm kind of in love with the heroine of this series. Haruna is practical, level-headed, and ultimately kind of cool (as in, like, chilly), but not in an obnoxious tsundere way or anything. Refreshing after a lifetime spent reading shoujo romances with whiny, overdramatic heroines. It's also refreshing to read a shoujo romance where the couple starts out together and their relationship grows. I guess that's become more popular in the last decade (thinking of 'Say I Love You' and 'Kimi ni Todoke') but man, back in the 90s you had to be in it for the long haul.
I haven't read many other reviews, but I'm willing to bet that Atsuyuki is a polarizing character. I think he's fantastic and definitely added to the story. It seemed like his feelings for Haruna did become more genuine, but I think she ultimately had him pegged: it's Macharu he really loves (agape [well, philia], not eros, as their homeroom teacher would point out). I love that kind of dynamic in a love triangle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2012
A cute light-hearted story. The reason I loved it so much was I felt I could truly relate to how they felt. So many people think fighting in a relationship is bad, or that questioning it means it's doomed to fail. It's really not. There is such things as constructive arguments, or figuring out where your place in life is and if the person you're with can make it there with you. I was really heart-warmed by their progressive romance and how young people could relate to that confusing feeling of love and the physical progress in a relationship. (Remember kiddos, use protection!) Point is, I guess I was relieved to read about a couple who argues and has their ups and downs like me and my boyfriend do. ^^ I recommend this book!
December 19, 2013
It was ok.
I was greatly disappointed, though. I checked my recommendation tab and found this manga. When I looked on its cover, it gave me an impression that I will like it as much as I like Lovely Complex, so I started reading it.
It started fairly good but as the story went on, it lost its spirit. It became dull, and did not have development. It was like being stuck mid-air and couldn’t go anywhere. I liked the idea of just showcasing the daily life of what really happen with couples but it did not came out good. The story focused intently with the couple’s romance and their life deals but failed to give charm to the story.
I was greatly disappointed, though. I checked my recommendation tab and found this manga. When I looked on its cover, it gave me an impression that I will like it as much as I like Lovely Complex, so I started reading it.
It started fairly good but as the story went on, it lost its spirit. It became dull, and did not have development. It was like being stuck mid-air and couldn’t go anywhere. I liked the idea of just showcasing the daily life of what really happen with couples but it did not came out good. The story focused intently with the couple’s romance and their life deals but failed to give charm to the story.
September 11, 2010
This was a cute series about what on the surface is a mismatched couple and their friends. The are likened to monkey on a mountain, and are constantly fighting and making up. The character development, especially between the two main characters is done well. The artwork is good, and helps the story along.
The ending could have been better.
I will be recommending this title.
The ending could have been better.
I will be recommending this title.
July 23, 2016
I felt that this volume did a really good job of wrapping up the series.
Contains Chapters 27 - 31
Chapter 27: It's Not a Dream!
Chapter 28: What's Beyond Happiness?
Chapter 29: Preparing for the School Festival & Elopement?
Chapter 30: Kita High Festival Final!
Chapter 31: Monkey High!
Monkey High! Extra
Contains Chapters 27 - 31
Chapter 27: It's Not a Dream!
Chapter 28: What's Beyond Happiness?
Chapter 29: Preparing for the School Festival & Elopement?
Chapter 30: Kita High Festival Final!
Chapter 31: Monkey High!
Monkey High! Extra
August 11, 2016
very sweet series with an adorable male main character and and a cute and cool female main character. Really enjoyed it, I hope there will be more volumes of the story! (but if this was the last volume it was a good ending...
December 31, 2011
Voici la fin des aventures d'Aizawa et de Macharu. elle arrive enfin à accepter pleinement ses sentiments pour lui et Macharu travaille dur pour être accepté dans la fac de son choix et être digne d'Aizawa.
August 9, 2015
The ending was a bit...much, but it's a very cute story.
May 18, 2012
I neeedddd mooaarr!!
August 10, 2012
4.5 stars
What a cute story! Soo adorable :)
What a cute story! Soo adorable :)
November 13, 2012
I read all the volumes and thought it was cute. I bought almost all of them and I plan to read them again soon(:
March 3, 2013
Just as expected after reading "Lovely complex" it's such a sweet and sour series and, mostly, really cute!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews