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Description
From Viz: 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!
Type
Manga
Related Series
N/A
Associated Names
サルヤマっ！ 猴样男孩 Monkey High Monkey High! Monkey Mountain My Boyfriend Saruyama
I usually like Akira Shouko's works, but in this one something was off. Constant references to monkeys become really annoying in time, there isn't much chemistry between the characters either. Also, can't they do anything without their classmates' presence? Why does the whole class have to be in each chapter, so tactless too?!
Got every high points you may be looking for a good manga. Almost all characters are likeable (despite their flaws which makes them more not less) there are a couple of ppl that would have been completely left out and wouldn't have changed the outlook of manga but i think that is ok i mean just because there is someone drawn in a manga shouldn't make him/her a hero/heroine in his/her own-right. Art is likeable, story actually starts from somewhere and goes to a place it even has a decent ending! i do wish there was an extra which we could see the ppl we came to know in a future time like ten years.. but its still enjoyable even like this.
Agree with pinkfizz. Without Atsu this story would have been better. IMO, the author was reluctant to make Macharu's best friend a serious love rival and propel this story into a typical love-triangle. I'm glad the mangaka didn't fall into this trap.
Wonderful female lead. Quite surprised to find a good head on her shoulders. Haruna isn't a perfect heroine, which makes her that much more interesting. She doesn't fall into any stereotype beside tsundere, but her other personality qualities add another dimension to an otherwise static character.
Macharu is also not a completely an energetic airhead. Given the right circumstances he can achieve character growth with contrivances of the usual rom-com.
Decent artwork, good story, excellent gradual development. Worth the time spent to read all eight volumes.
It gets really boring I actually really liked the beginning and thought it was sweet and yeah the heroine is different but not in a way I like , she's like that chick from beuty pop but a less intense version n I just don't like the I don't care personality , at first it wa cute but now its getting tiring and the thing that I liked at first is the guy wasn't perfect and for once they choose the less attractive as the lead male but later on it gets annoying cuz I want a more attractive male and he's just like the mLe lead from lovely complex I quess u could say ....anyway I think my manga days are over I've had enough and I feel depressed I think its time for a break and back to anime like naruto.
Have to go with the rest of the reviewers that it's a pretty decent read. Sure it's nothing mindblowing, but it's an overall nice read.
The heroine isn't a retarded bubble head who cries every other page. Nor wavers from person to person. She's level-headed and actually uses her brain.
Only thing I disagree is with the reviewers and their sympathy for Atsu, except for pinkfizz's.
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
Atsu tires to steal Haruna away from Macharu on numerous occasions. Macharu has an inkling of what was going on, but nothing to the extent of what happened at the bus stop on their field trip. I would have kicked his ass to the curb right along with the rest of the so called friends.
Not once in the entire manga were they NOT ragging on Macharu. From start to finish it was childish name calling and whatever else that happened throughout the manga that they could make fun of Macharu about.
Finally a Shoujo heroine with taste and brains! Haruna knows what's good for and goes for it, no wavering dumbo here.
My only gripe is ATSU. He and to be honest, the rest of the group, treat Macharu like crap. He stabs him in the back and insults him all day long and he is seriously supposed to be sympathetic to the reader? Seriously? He brought down the series because he is so selfish and terrible.
I really enjoyed this manga. Is it something brand new and exciting, not really. It's your standard shoujo in that your couple gets together relatively quickly and then face various conflicts. Despite this, you should definitely give this a read. I would have to say this in shoujo done right. The romance is believable, the characters are lovable, the humor is great, and the conflict is realistic and not obnoxious. Besides, who goes into the shoujo genre looking for something other than cliche love stories? That's basically what defines it. haha
Personally, what i think makes this stand out is definitely the characters. I felt that they were all very well developed and it gave the story a very real feeling which was nice. The male lead is just adorable. He's the more childish type, being called a baby monkey, but it's not like that's all there is to his character. He has his occasional serious moments too. If you're sick of shoujo with perfect male leads, you'll love him. The female lead is you're cool/cold type, but she's well rounded in that this isn't the only aspect of her personality. And well the romance between them is just adorable and awesome.
I also loved the way in which they went about the conflicts in this. They were done nicely, and were realistic conflicts. It wasn't you're typical crazy obsessed girl who's going to come and steal the guy or anything, and the way in which characters reacted to the conflicts was believable as well.
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
I really felt for Atsu and almost wanted them to be together at times. I think this is because his feelings seemed to slowly grow and you got to see a lot of his inner turmoil over staying true to his friend and the girl he liked. I could totally relate! I also liked that they stayed friends despite this. Poor little monkey though. :(
Also, the classmates are hilarious. I laughed so much at the reactions to the "idiot couple"
The ending was nice too. Not you're typical everything in the world is now perfect ending, but still satisfying. It ended the way I wanted it too.
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
Basically I was happy that the conflict with Haruna's family was never fully resolved, but seemed to improve. The way it was depicted throughout the manga, it would have been unrealistic for everything to be perfect in the end with her fam, so I'm glad that didn't happen.
"Because you were there" Pretty sweet line. It kind of explains the whole feel of the romance of the story. The reason why the romance was so good was because it was realistic, while also being the kind of love one would want to experience: caring, passionate, companionship, and an overwhelming sense of desire to be around the other person. Haruna and Macharu the "idiot couple" forever <3
a good feeling left after reading this, i believe. really bittersweet to me, because i will miss the characters... which is weird, because around volume 6 i got reallyyyyy bored of reading about their everyday life and had to come back to it haha. but i really will miss the 'idiot couple'. and atsu, and all the friends.. the end had such open-ness, i loved it, and it made me feel a sad feeling all the same.
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
poor atsu... he fell in love because he wanted a loving relationship like the two of them had, and got hurt... awwww... he was the most bittersweet part of the ending. i'm glad it ended like that though. i really liked how he just kind of pined from the side lines; if he got involved, it would have been annoying, unnecessary drama. i hope he finds his own love... and even kabuhei (?) hehehe.
I wish the dad would have been shown as at least a little accepting, however, it seemed unsolved on his side...
this was a good manga with good characters. like the previous person said, no real deep thoughts behind it (although there were realistic problems for the characters - parents, college, etc. i liked how time passed, and the complications were not too dramatic, but everyday problems. i also loved seeing the relationship progress. oh, and laughing out loud was fun too!
it is a good and nice - but in the same time a typical - shoujo manga. there is no suspense, mystery, or any deep psychological story. however, it is a good choice for you to spend your free time reading it.
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The female lead is you're cool/cold type, but she's well rounded in that this isn't the only aspect of her personality. And well the romance between them is just adorable and awesome. 
