I've read up to volume 6 so I don't know if he changes later, but as of now...if he wasn't considered handsome, I seriously doubt the commenters below would still pardon his behaviour and fangirl all over him.

Why I dislike his character:

Not humble - (the girl even states it outright; he's arrogant and self-indulgent). Let me ask you: if it's not because of his appearance, would you really like this kind of guy?

Selfish - does what he wants (like forceful kissing, or embarrassing her because, for his own amusement, he likes seeing her flustered), and KISSING HER WHEN HE HAS A FEVER.

Awful -he hits the guy she likes out of jealousy - the poor innocent guy (because she never confessed to the guy or showed her feelings, so how would that other guy know?)

(This last one will have overlapping examples)
Forceful - such as kissing (esp. When she doesn't expect it or want it - even when she doesn't like him yet and when he didn't even confess yet!!!), and also dragging her somewhere. Look, even if it's to cheer her up, there's a limit - don't drag her to a closeted room and then forcefully kiss her! If their relationship really continues (i.e. marriage) these kinds of behaviour is what often leads to domestic violence. I understand that this kind of thing is fan service, but by doing so, the author is conveying an underlying message that force is alright since he "loves" her. Even though the manga doesn't state it outright, it is encouraging unhealthy ideas like "he does that because he likes you." In reality, that kind of reasoning is very untrue - if he truly loves her, would he kiss her - forcefully - even though he has a FEVER? That's basically demonstrating that he puts his desires over her health.

You might be thinking, "this is just a manga, why get so worked up over it?" That may be true, but what we read WILL unconsciously affect the way we think. If we immerse ourselves with stories portraying such unhealthy relationships as healthy, it would gradually become natural for us to think that such actions and behaviour is alright, that it's normal, and that it means he loves you - and that cannot be further from the truth. He may love you - but how much? Obviously not enough to put you before himself. A love that's self-seeking and self-gratifying.

Fortunately, the girl knows this before falling in love with him, so at least she's aware...not that it does her any good in the long run since she still falls in love with this arrogant jerk.

This manga indeed represents society's concept of love these days, especially in shoujo. More and more often, love that is selfish is now considered as romantic and acceptable, just because he does a few nice and sweet things for the girl and the author made him look cool and suave.
Real love is unselfish. This manga does not portray that - at least, definitely not the guy.

I can't understand why the other readers don't like this. This is a very great manga and I can assure you that. The male lead is not as horrible as everyone thinks he is. It gets pretty interesting after they start going out. It gets better as chapters go by. This is one of my fav shoujo manga after Kaichou wa maid-sama. The male lead truly loves her and is not selfish like some people think he is.

I'm just going to use another commentor's words here, since her description was perfect.

"This is shoujo. And not your Typical -- 'HEY IM IN LOVE WITH A JERK AND IM A HAPPY GIRL' Shoujo. It's the -- 'HOLY CRAP WHY IS THIS GUY TOUCHING ME. HELP' kind of shoujo...
Reminds me of Kaichou wa Maid sama.

Heroine isn't a push over crybaby. She's a girl with a temper she can hold to most people. Then here comes a cannon ball, shooting her down and pushing down her barrier. Instead of the girl being crazy for the guy who manages to see her inner self and be okay with it, Yuki doesn't even give two sh*ts to someone like Naruse. It's like a soldier defending a wall; They don't stop shooting even if their defenses are down, until you are dead on the ground. I mean, she has a crush, and here comes this guy who groped her and kissed her, and now confessing he likes her. She didn't blush and say 'TAKE ME SENPAI'. She says 'OH GOD' with a dreadful stare. I mean, what's better than THAT?" --Mangahere. com comment

... Last updated on June 29th, 2014, 12:13am

I can understand what other commentators have said about the protagonist not being decisive, but I found that really rang honest with the uncertainty a lot of girls feel in relationship and romance matters. Furthermore, I appreciated how the characters actually change and develop through this manga. I would say that in the majority of shoujo stories I've read (many of which I've still enjoyed) characters don't change in their personalities or goals from the first page to the last. Either that, or the development feels unrealistic. :\ Like you'd never see those transformations happen to such people in real life, you know?! But yep. In Namaikizakari, not only did I get plenty of "kyaaa!!" moments, but sincerely appreciated the character development in the two protagonists a lot.

... Last updated on April 4th, 2017, 6:41am

I think this puppy love manga is so cute! It has potential. I love how he declares his love in the first chapter. I'm tired of shoujo mangas with main characters taking 20 chapters to confess their love...NO! No Bueno. Those mangas give you unnecessary heart break

Update no.2: 1 day after completing the serie: GUYS, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU SKIP LIKE CHAPTERS 124 TO 127 BECAUSE IT'S LITERALLY TRASH WRITING. I don't think the author was in her right mind writing that. Or maybe she has never been normal considering she didn't written off a character like Shizuka and kept buffing him with flowers, sparkles, back stories and "kyaa kyaa" girls who chase after him from ages. So and ruins every tiny love i have for her and the manga. I read this the first time in my 9th grade and picked up the serie now that I'm 21, I reread the whole fking thing just to have this post manga frustration. I never liked to say hurtful thing especially to a Female Lead, but the author has to bring out the worst in Yuki's annoying behaviors. She was just being dumb, dense and oblivious and couldn't draw boundaries, reject people straightforwardly and keep distance herself from Shizuka and was giving Naruse (and readers) the ambiguous fear and insecurity of losing her the whole time. But now, she can't even do the bare minimum which is not . I can't tolerate this. My heart is broken. I need the author to re write this character of Yuki and treat Naruse right. Moreover, homegirl also complains too much. TvT Tl;dr IF YOU GUYS DON'T WANNA HAVE THE POST MANGA FRUSTRATIONS LIKE ME, DON'T READ THE DRAMAS LAST 10 CHAPTERS, esp c.124.

but what was i expecting when the root basic problem (which is communication) is not even solved. This manga's ending left you with nothing but this lingering feeling of unsatisfaction because it ruined your nostalgic teen love for it. If you have a partner, pls treat them right. It would have been a lovely manga if Yuki loved Naruse better: giving him all her attention, appreciating him more, caring less about what other people think, making him feel safe, sayinf love affirmations to him more (look how happy Naruse is even with Yuki's small confirmations of love, which is a good progress from Yuki, if it's not for the latest chapters that ruined everything).

Update no.1 after completing the serie: GUYS, HEAR ME OUT. DON'T READ THIS. IT'S NOT WORTH IT. IT MAKES YOUR BLOOD BOIL.

Lemme make this clear. I totally loved this manga. I read this the first time in like 2013 and loved it so so much. I waited all day for a new chapter.

Today, 2023, i decided to pick it up again, as an adult... I reread the whole thing in 2 days and I was deeply disappointed.

This serie starts off so wonderfully. It has so much potential to be one of the best shoujos. When the author wants, she can give you all the feels in the world. I was so so so emotionally invested in the characters.

But somehow, fck, she chooses violence. The last like 10 chapters are the worst. Don't read them. I warn you.

THE WHOLE SHIZUKA SITUATION HAS BEEN IRKING ME SINCE IT STARTS, BUT 10 LAST CHAPTERS ARE THE WORST.



And you know what, it's not even the worst yet, the worst thing is: THEY ARE SO WISHY WASHY ABOUT SOLVING THIS PROBLEM, and it gives you a lingering unsatisfying feeling.

1. PROBLEMATIC CHARACTERS ✅
2. PROBLEMATIC CHARACTERS THAT SEEM TO HAVE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS BUT ACTUALLY NEVER DO ✅

I just want some lovey dovey content, yes, i kinda got them. I just want to see Shou and Yuki happy, get married, have kids, grow old toghether. I was tryna be patient reading this waiting for our couple's character development. But all i get is stupid, unnecessary drama i didn't ask for. The worse thing is, they're the same, repetitive shit: the Shizuka problem. And an anti-character development.

A bad serie is not a bad thing. A bad thing is something you liked
so much, emotionally invested into so much turned out like shit. I wish i didn't reread it. My nostalgic middle school love for this serie could have been in peace.

I think i would never read anything by this author again (i have completed like 5 series of hers).

First review: Đọc hồi lớp 9 mê hết nấc luôn, suốt ngày chỉ mong ra chap mới. Lên lớp 11 mình có đọc lai rai.🍻
Hôm qua đọc lại giữa chừng (cỡ chap 5 mấy) thì không thích dynamic giữa Naruse với Yuki lứm (Naruse thích gì làm nấy, không tôn trọng những gì Yuki nói); ước gì Yuki thành thật hơn; cảm thấy nam phụ hơi kì cục kẹo, suốt ngày bảo Shou phải làm thế này thế nọ. Mình cũng đã không thích cách tác giả viết mạch truyện cho lắm, cái pace ý, khúc sau truyện có nhiều kiểu slice of life và nhiều monologue quá nên hơi chán. Lúc sau lại cho thêm nguyên đống nhân vật phụ vào và lặp lại vòng lặp Naruse ghen tuông.

Nhưng mà, hôm nay đọc lại từ đầu thì thấy hai bạn ấy c, cũng cute: luôn hướng về nhao nè, luôn thể hiện tình củm dth lắm. Cho dù nhiều khi mình thấy Yuki làm Shou thất vọng bởi tính tsundere của bả thì sau đó Yuki luôn bù đắp lại bằng những hành động rất là Yuki. Cho dù tsuntsun thì Yuki vẫn cố gắng biểu lộ cảm xúc và nói ra suy nghĩ của mình, vậy nên đó là một điểm cộng. 2 bạn ý cũng communicate tốt mà.

Hmmm, và Naruse thích gì làm nấy thật (và đó là the whole point của manga luôn, tên Namaiki.. mà). Nhưng sau khi đọc lại đến tầm c 61, thấy Naruse nhiều khi láo láo zậy thui chứ vẫn tôn trọng Yuki mà nhỉ. (À mà mấy khúc tự nhiên nhào zô hun con gái người ta mình hong bênh được).

Nói chung đọc bộ này supply cơm tró đáp ứng đủ mà cấn thì cũng có nhiều chỗ cấn làm mình không relax + giải trí thoải mái được, vì cứ phải suy nghĩ đúng sai, ví dụ như giữa bạn nam phụ với Yuki nè. Yuki dense quá không hiểu nổi motive của nam phụ (điểm trừ bự), hong có chịu quyết đoán từ chối người ta, còn bạn Shizuka thì cứ sáp sáp lại bạn gái của bạn. Chán hết nước chấm, chán giùm Naruse luôn. Ròi lúc Shizuka tỏ tình tác giả vẽ cho hẳn khung to bự rồi cho ánh sáng lấp lánh các kiểu nữa chứ. Phải nói thật Shizuka là nam phụ mình... hong ưa nhất từ trước đến nay luôn; vì bạn cứ có mùi loser thế nào (huhu gay gắt quá sorry): người tốt mà không ra người tốt, cứ tiểu nhân lòng vòng. Và bây giờ cứ đến phân đoạn chơi bóng rổ nhiều chữ là mình bỏ qua, mình chỉ ngắm cách tác giả vẽ dáng thôi- mình ghét đọc mấy câu motivational sến sến lắm. Nhiều khi cờ ring không chịu được ý nhưng cũng có thể là do mình skim chăng?

Art thì xinh hết cỡ. Tác giả vẽ Naruse đẹp ơi là đẹp, bất cần đời, thích gì làm đó, nắm được spirit của character design lắm. Lâu lâu mình đã bị sự đẹp trai đó làm mờ mắt trước những hành động moral questionable của bạn ý (bây giờ nghĩ lại mình vẫn call out được): như là hành động hơi có mùi sexual harassment nè, hơi pushy nè (xem mấy tập đầu, đã là gì của nhao đâu mà thấy nhỏ là cứ hun chùn chụt, cho dù đã là gì đi nữa thì cũng đâu phải là được làm thế), hơi manipulative nè, kiểm soát nè ("chị không được thế này, chị không được thế kia"; "cười zới mấy thằng con zai khác": cái này chắc là fan service rồi, thôi tạm bỏ qua; nhưng còn vụ Yuki đi làm thêm: mình nhớ mang máng Shou cũng nói câu gì làm mình khíu chọ lắm). Vẽ nữ mình thấy hong đẹp bằng.
Đúng như jackalan nói, Naruse thì hơi pushy, trong khi Yuki lại là một cô gái confused, không multi task được, lâng lâng lâng lâng.

Re: greenmilktea: "he puts his desires over her health". Mình thấy greenmilktea nói rất đúng luôn: khi Naruse bị sốt, hắn vẫn nhào đến hôn và potentially lây bệnh cho Yuki; nhưng mà khi Yuki bị sốt, Naruse hun lên trán 🤡💀

... Last updated on April 10th, 2023, 2:33am

At the time of writing this the latest chapter is 123 and the manga has done a complete 180



There are times where I feel like the author struggles to come up with conflicts but I think they've done an amazing job and I've gotten so attached to the female lead
Overall I'm so glad I found this manga

... Last updated on October 13th, 2021, 1:17pm

I mean, it was cute at first how she resists him but come on, you already confessed and such how selfish can you get? Like if you can't commit and be seriously involved with him then reject him at once - plain and simple.

She just became really really irritating with her one step forward three steps back and her indecision as the story progresses that it got on my nerves.

I usually like these types of stories (i.e. maid sama), but seriously after coming this far and with this amount of chapters, I just got annoyed with the progress of the love story.

I mean it was good, but yeah, I'm not gonna continue with it anymore

Everyone is complaining about Naruse and I get it like, I wouldn't like him that much if he weren't cute, but my main complaint is the MC. She is very annoying, especially when they started to date. She can't even be honest with him, she always wondered why he can't trust her, yeah its because you can't be truthful with him and say whats on your mind or when he actually does something nice for you (for once) you won't even thank him just push him away and then make up for it in a stupid way. Also she's extremely ignorant when it comes to friendships and relationships, the only good role she can play is a big sister. Overall the plot is pretty decent, the art is well done and the translations are as well good but if youre looking for non aggravating characters this isn't the story for you.

... Last updated on September 15th, 2018, 12:40pm

Upon my first reading of this manga, actually, I didn't really like it. There's some categories I didn't like (but I have tolerated it, and I rather like it now). The part when male lead was really aggressive toward female lead is disturbing actually (imo), like kissing when the feeling wasn't mutual etc. That seems sexual harassment, no matter how handsome he is. Though I should not taken it seriously, because it's a manga, it's for fun reading.
But then, I continued reading till the last chapter available in english, I can't stop wishing there's another release for next day. After the main main couple become canon, it's been fun to read. And I really hope this manga can hold till 100++ vols (if I'm not getting bored by then).

The characters are very drawn well. Even though female lead was seen as stoic girl at first, she's becoming more expressive. The only one who isn't really expressive since beginning is male lead. Seriously, he only has one expression throughout the volumes (I exagerrated it). The rest characters aren't important, they're there for the sake of storyline, after it's done they'll gone. You can see it from the volume covers of this manga. All of them is a potrait of two main lead (naruse and yuki).