Paradise Kiss

Description

From Vertical:
Yukari Hayasaka is a studious, straight-laced high school senior, racing towards college exams, yet with no real sense of purpose in her life. One day, she's kidnapped by a troupe of fashion design students and whisked away to their lounge-like atelier. There, they ask her to be their model for their school fashion show. At first, she resists, scornful of the odd-looking design students, until George, the lead designer, uses his wiles to join them while forcing Yukari to take a good, hard look at her life.

Official Japanese:.
Shounen Jump Plus, Shueisha, Zebrack Comic

Type

Manga

Related Series

Gokinjo Monogatari (Prequel)

Associated Names

Cennet Öpücüğü

Paradaisu Kisu

Ателье Paradise Kiss

パラダイスキス

パラダイス・キス

Groups Scanlating

Parakiss

Latest Release(s)

v.2 c.2 by Parakiss 19 years ago

v.1 c.10+Omake by Parakiss 20 years ago

v.2 c.1 by Parakiss 20 years ago

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Status in Country of Origin

5 Volumes (Complete)
4 Bunkoban Volumes (Complete)

Completely Scanlated?

Yes

Anime Start/End Chapter

Starts at Vol 1, Chap 1

Ends at Vol 5, Chap 48 (Vol 5 abridged)

User Reviews

N/A

Forum

0 topics, 0 posts

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User Rating

Average: 8.4 / 10.0 (1123 votes)

Bayesian Average: 8.35 / 10.0

32%

24%

21%

13%

Last Updated

December 20th, 2025 10:17pm PST - 10 hours ago

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Genre

Comedy Drama Josei Mature Romance School Life Slice of Life
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Categories

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Category Recommendations

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (Novel)

Recommendations

Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou

Author(s)

YAZAWA Ai

Artist(s)

YAZAWA Ai

Year

1999

Original Publisher

Shodensha (1999)

Shueisha (2014)

Serialized In (magazine)

Zipper (Shodensha)

Licensed (in English)

Yes

English Publisher

TokyoPop (Expired / 5 Vols - Complete)

Vertical (3 Vols - Complete | 1 Vol 20th Anniversary Edition Omnibus - Complete)

Activity Stats (vs. other series)

Weekly Pos #549

(-152)

Monthly Pos #1490

(-203)

3 Month Pos #2749

(-190)

6 Month Pos #3125

(-314)

Year Pos #3557

(-473)

List Stats

On 492 reading lists

On 930 wish lists

On 3281 completed lists

On 102 unfinished lists

On 501 custom lists

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User Comments [ Order by usefulness ]

classic josei/shoujo

by modnar
2 weeks ago

Rating: 1.0 / 10.0

and the cucking fetish all over the place

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bittersweet

by mewsoik
2 years ago

Rating: 9.0 / 10.0

just had the chance to read this while on a break from nana… first of all, i adore the art a lot🥹🫶🏻!! the outfits and everything were just so ahhhh!! really do love yazawa sensei’s sense of style♡.
for me, i read this in my mid-20s (i’m actually born on the same year this came out!😂) so i definitely think if i were to read this during my teens, i’d have a completely different opinion.
my thoughts after finishing in my mid-20s:

yukari and george didn’t end up together and i feel like that’s for the best. (totally agree with one of the comments where they said they brought the best in one another but ALSO the worst) ngl, i think their relationship is kinda toxic… obviously they’re in love but i dont feel like they feel comfortable and safe enough to be discussing important aspects of their dreams and future (like how george had told kaori about his dilemma and yukari had to hear it when they talk. from this, he seems more at ease with kaori and the look in his eyes was always softer with her.) george is so hard to read and sometimes he totally disregards (idek if he actually care but) her, saying he doesn’t care abt discussing her future, telling her to mind her own business, kicking her out, and etc. (if this is not toxic!) but yukari’s not any better, i feel like atp in their life, she still couldn’t get her life together (after running away) and may say and do things that seem selfish. and george prefers independent girl (which yukari is not) but LOVE. i get both their pov, yukari being raised this way and doesn’t have a goal and george whose dependent mother always say she shouldn’t have birthed him even if it mightve been a joke. tbh, i think they’d eventually break up and grew tired of each other if they were to still be together. if yukari decided to follow george to paris, she might come to regret throwing away her bright career and end up despising george. for george, he said it himself that yukari is the type of woman he can’t stand. so, what’s to say, he wouldn’t grow tired of her. ultimately, imo, i feel like it’s best for them to go their separate ways and grow (they couldve tried long distance too! but doesnt look like he’ll be back soon)
BUT THEY ALSO BRING THE BEST OUT OF ONE ANOTHER. george was the one who brought yukari into the modeling world—something completely new from her simple, boring life of studying. and she, his muse. totally would’ve loved to see them interact at the end (not even as lovers but just as friends is fine)🥲

my (probable) thoughts after finishing in my teens:

they should’ve stayed together!!! yukari should’ve followed him to paris and model there! (me: it’s not easy for a freshly debuted asian model??!)

and the ultimate endgame:

i’d say i’m quite happy with yukari and hiro. yukari actually confides in him throughout the end and he seems to give her genuine advice (in contrast to george). he doesn’t even get jealous of yukari still wearing george’s pieces he made for her but compliments her saying george’s design looks best on her.

towards the end, i’d say i see yukari’s character development and i’m here for it♡. but my fav character’s got to be miwako! she’s just soooooo cuteeeeeee!!! (read gokinjo monogatari, and i’m waiting to meet baby miwako!)

... Last updated 2 years ago

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Goodness...

by Bebe~
6 years ago

Rating: N/A

I read this when I was a in junior high, and even til this day (in my late 20s), whenever I come across this title, my heart feels a pang of pain. Yazawa Ai is skilled in drawing and story telling; she's able to throw you into the comic's world. The ending was very different from what I wanted and I was too young to understand it. I disliked seeing the characters going through heartbreak and heartaches. But now that I'm older, I see it in a different light. There was so much character growth!

Still one of my favs, and it'll probably hold a spot in my heart for a very long time.

... Last updated 6 years ago

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One of the greatest.

by hivemind
9 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

I first read this manga in 2009 and reread it again in 2017. This manga got to me every single time. Now that I'm older, I'm able to appreciate the relationship between George and Caroline. It was far from perfect. They brought out the best of each other, but they also brought out the worste too. What George said was right, "We keep pushing our desires onto one another." At first I wished this manga had a fairytale ending. Now I know reality does not work out that way. Caroline was a true and realistic female role model for girls. She showed us how easy it was to get tangled in our desire and how hard and painful it was to grow up. But ultimately, you have to do yourself justice.

... Last updated 9 years ago

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Loved it

by wishing_star
9 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

It was intriguing from the beginning, where our main character is pulled into this new and quirky world of fashion. Themes like looking for one self, figuring out what you want to do resonated with me throughout the manga.
The romance was interesting between Caroline and George. And I believe that the ending

was what the best for both of them. It portrayed the romance realistically, of loving and letting go. I didn't think that I would like an ending where the two protagonists don't end up together, as I think we all to some extent wish for happy endings. But what is the meaning of a happy ending anyway? At the end, Caroline and George did not end up together, but they have each found their own path, followed their dreams and aspirations. From the way the story was built, I think it was the best and most fitting ending considering their personalities. In the end, Paradise kiss' beautiful storytelling managed to stir up conflicting emotions in me and made this read very enjoyable.

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Life

by mashimaro12345
10 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

A seemingly cliche shoujo manga from the otuset, but packs a punch of the very essence of bittersweet reality of life in every breathtaking pages.

It speaks volumes of many things, Yukari's conflicting relationship with her mother (heavy expectations against reality which is found in many asian cultures), coupled with her family condition (a father who is absent in the important aspects of her life) which pushed her into a poor mental state coupled with her insecurites, hence pushing her into a relationship with George which she held onto like her lifeline as she felt alone.

For me this manga is inspiring in many ways, how the author has managed to convey her ideas and feelings into these few volumes is amazing, how it teaches readers the essence of life that reality is always bittersweet, that even so, that should not bring a person down that's why aspirations should be chased with passion. I also like the unconventional idea that "love" may not be what we envisioned it to be (Yukari and George's relationship), but what's undeniable is that they were in love with each other. Even so, I am very happy with the fact that the author has kept strictly to her ideas and believes, that Yukari at the end chose for herself instead of having both Yukari and George mashed up together which in turn would send the wrong message to the readers. Seeing how Yukari has grown and matured as a heroine especially towards the end was deeply satisfying and I could not be happier otherwise with the ending.

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I cried @ the end, guys... Y^Y

by noxplum
10 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

Ok, I RARELY cry at the end of mangas, but for some reason this one got me. I know everyone's like "Oh god, the ending was AWFUL.." or "DONT READ IT THE ENDING SUCKS!!!" but for me.. the ending fit perfectly. ;D P.S. George is a babe <3

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"reality bites"

by wrensei
12 years ago

Rating: 9.0 / 10.0

I've read negative comments and I dunno if my comments here were the same as others but I'd like to point out some stuffs.

It's just LOVE, people fall in and out of love, the ending part perhaps shocked those who are rooting for a "first of everything ...and everlasting love".
It took the path of "slice of life" thing and conflict-love-fiction scenario.
the story broke my heart it's like giving me a hang over but I DO UNDERSTAND that there were people out there who ventures life..just like that..I salute the mangaka for this story.

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Very Good.

by P_O_C_K_Y
13 years ago

Rating: 6.0 / 10.0

One of those few mangas where I enjoyed the anime more than the manga. Nevertheless, the manga was still brilliant. It's unique, romantic, interesting, beautiful, dramatic, and touching. I really enjoyed it though I feel like it was rushed, yet, not rushed.
Like it hit a climax and just ended. And that ending....won't spoil it, but it's definitely not what I was expecting. Won't read or watch again, but it is a brilliant story and a great first read.

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That was pretty awesome!

by enaikelt
13 years ago

Rating: 9.0 / 10.0

I didn't care for it much at the beginning - I didn't like Yukari, and I especially didn't like her George-romance-obsession. It was rather difficult to buy that he genuinely found her personality attractive, and to be honest, he was so blatantly bad for her. I suppose we've all got to fall for a bad boy sometime in your life, but at points throughout the story, I had to stop and walk around to room to calm myself down, I got so incredibly irritated.

But I stuck with it, and it drew me in, and I think it ended surprisingly well - bittersweet, and nice, and I'm really pleased that the nice guy wins in the end. Maybe I just got so annoyed with it because it paralleled my life a little bit too much. 😛

I did thoroughly enjoy the mood of the story - it was rooted in realism, but it also had sort of that "I don't care, I live the way I want" vibe that is both such a flighty fantasy thing and also something a lot of people do. I feel like I could have met these people in real life, and have liked (or disliked) them.

So that. And I did like the ending. It suited the story far more than a happily-ever-after would have, because sometimes, people just aren't right for you, but that doesn't mean that being with them wasn't wonderful anyway.

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