I frankly can't believe that people find this an "ordinary" manga - maybe it starts off that way, but this ends up dealing with issues like sexuality, identity crises, eating disorders and other pretty heavy stuff with a kind of realism and actual INTELLIGENCE, without glossing over the ugly realities like most shoujo mangas do. And in a weird way, that is actually WHY this manga is even sweeter, because when the sweet moments come along you know what they're worth. It's like... This manga is all about how to appreciate what you've got, you know? And realize how sweet and beautiful life can be, even when it gives you lemons.

I really love this manga. It becomes more and more realistic instead of less so, which is the case with most shoujo, and it also becomes sweeter and sweeter as we realize the depth of the male lead's feelings for the girl, even if she's so at odds with herself and awkward in dealing with emotions. I like the fact that she's realistically awkward... Usually, shoujo heroines belong to extremes like being COMPLETELY comfortable and assertive with their emotions (or unrealistically so), or being on the other end of the spectrum and being super-violent or oblivious girls with no emotional delicacy whatsoever. I like this heroine because she's actually a very sensitive girl who can still kick ass and assert herself if a major moral issue is at stake. So she doesn't always occupy an extreme; she's capable of adapting to the situation like a normal person. Lol.

Two thumbs up!

... Last updated on June 11th, 2010, 6:54am

It's okay. It's good. man, I'll say that. And I was a pretty devout follower of it for the first couple of chapters (which were really good!) But after a while...I dunno.

It's not that the characters started to go down or anything. And I know that my aversion to love triangle drama is my own problem, but dude. It's really starting to get on my nerves.

My problem is that most of this manga focuses on how much everyone else is in love with Mei and Yamato and not really on how much Yamato and Mei develop. Sure, for the first couple of chapters, that's what it focused on. But now ALL I READ ABOUT is the ladies that hate Mei and love Yamato and that one guy who is in love with Mei and blah blah blah blah. I don't care about them! At least, not as much as they keep getting chapters for!

I hope that makes sense. The story and art is good, and I recommend this to be read, but I want it to be over now. If all that it's going to do is keep introducing other "significant other"s that are "trying to tear about Mei and Yamato" this story isn't really going to go anywhere.

... Last updated on August 19th, 2015, 6:47pm

Well, i decided to check this manga out because i wanted to read something like Strobe Edge or Ao haru Ride.

While they share similar atmosphere, very school-slice of lifey. Some people say SE was boring, but i didn't think so at all. But instead, i found this manga on the dull side. The artwork is nice, although i didn't like the main guy's hair (lol) and i also liked the fashion. Her girls were very gyaru and the guys kinda host-kei-ish?

Unfortunately, i found this manga dull because it was lacking. Something was off.. which i think was the main couple. I enjoyed the side character couples, but the main couple i wasn't a fan of. Kurosawa was flat and dull.. and i think they entered the girlfriend/boyfriend stage too quickly.. their relationship progressed so fast. Within like 3 chapters or something and kurosawa is already seriously kissing her and is in love? Sure love at first sight, but the author failed to make it appear believable.. it felt more like kurosawa was playing mei to me because of the lack of realism and lack of development of his character and emotion from him.

The characters only fufill their given typical shoujo sterotypes. For example, kurosawa was the popular boy with a darker past, and mei was the shy gloomy girl who blossoms after meeting kurosawa. They played their roles rather than actually being the roles.. thats how it felt to me. Artificial sugar.

To sum it up, the author tried too hard to make this manga a refreshing breezy school manga, but instead it came out cheesy and unrealistic.

... Last updated on August 31st, 2011, 7:09pm

There's foreshadowing where you wouldn't have expected it, and the manga so far (chapter 25) has made me nothing short of impressed. There is development with the characters, there is miscommunication, but you can get a sense that they're different from how they were earlier on in the chapters. One thing I love about this is that later on in the chapters there are discussions and talks. Like actual people, they get upset or hurt about things, but they talk them out. Kai I especially love because of his ability to observe and he seems like an amazing voice of reason. You can't really hate any of these characters if you look at it realistically--everyone has a reason, every has a backstory.

This entire manga is impressive work and amazing. The characters deal with situations as they would as teenagers their age. And Mei being the main character never felt wishy-washy or anything--the beginning of the manga, of course, is very awkward compared to later on where things flow and feel a little more, but all characters at one point experience doubt or question themselves. Even the 'villain's as they are, aren't truly villains because this manga doesn't just become a limited POV in some way. It looks upon the development and growth of all these students, and at least one or two things will hit home for you when you watch them go through it.

... Last updated on December 18th, 2012, 2:33am

It's good to see that the main heroine is strong-willed and acknowledge her flaws with taking actions to fix them.

What annoyed me: A side character, the model, is having too much focused. I like seeing individual characters' development for 1-2 chapters, with some involvement from the heroine... but a whole volume was about the model with minimal involvement from the heroine. I feel that that it should be its own manga spin-off or something. Shouldn't be incorporated into the storyline.

If you love shoujo and slice of life manga, you absolutely must read this. To me, it's kind of like a more mature, more fast-paced Kimi ni Todoke that focuses more on life and love as opposed to overcoming bullying, making friends, and being accepted. But anyways. Suki-tte Ii na yo fuses together two plot lines in each chapter. The main underlying plot is Mei and Kurosawa's budding love for each other. And that plot is usually accompanied by a subplot that focuses more on minor characters' problems (which are usually solved once they interact with Mei). These problems are usually pretty hefty (sex, body image, loneliness, bullying, etc.). But it's handled really well. The subplots only add to the story. That having been said, the main plot is very good too. It's a slow-paced love story. And, really, pacing love is one of the hardest things to do in manga. But it's very good in Suki-tte Ii na yo. The leads aren't just diving into things, but it also doesn't take 10 volumes before they kiss. The two plots really compliment each other, and I never feel as though one detracts from the other.
Overall, the pacing and characters are good. The art's good. Mei and Kurosawa are adorable. It's kind of a cliche premise (lonely girl gets picked by popular guy), but it somehow utilizes that cliche to make a very endearing manga. I'm very impressed at how well the mangaka executes this manga, and I'm very eager to read the next chapter.

... Last updated on October 9th, 2010, 8:55pm

This is kind of like chocolate cake. So delicious, and yet so bad for you. Yes, it's cliched. Yes, it's unrealistic. A popular guy would never look or care a fig about me--and this is true for a lot of my friends. So yeah, this kind of shoujo is "evil" in that aspect, because it inspires this sort of useless hope that doesn't really get you anywhere in life, except depressed when you're not reading manga. Which yeah, doesn't really get you anywhere in life.
But it's still so fun to read. This manga, for example, makes me feel happy because their relationship develops *sooo* nicely. Every chapter has so far given me this fuzzy happy feeling, because he notices her and likes her and she starts liking him too and they're both really interesting characters and he's sooo hot.
It isn't even really smutty, which is such a relief. And dude, while the start of their relationship is cliched, the relationship itself and the buildup of their feelings isn't. Ditto a lot of things that people are saying about her not being a pushover and the male lead having vulnerabilities. It helps keep the story afloat and interesting, because we learn more about the characters with each chapter, and they're not very typical characters. Plus, they're inspiring.
I guess it's fun as long as you don't take it too seriously. In my opinion, it's better than a lot of other stuff that's out there, despite its flaws.

So amazing!!!!! This is better than the average shoujo. C: I love mangas that have alternative girls, either shy(I understand that) Or just realistic c: so I love the main lead <3
the arts great
The story's good
The characters are awesome
I just love it alot <3

The arts not bad and the characters are interesting, but what really, and i mean REALLY annoys me is how all the other charaters besides the lead and her love interest are horny perverts. Their problems involve having to big boobs, having casual sex, or thinking their ugly so they have sex. Like seriously! I know this is labeled mature, but thats way to much pervert teenage hornyness! If you can get past that, its a pretty interesting story

Today, I read the chapter 40 and I thought, that if it ended there, it would be the best ending there could be. So, if anyone is getting tired of this manga (sorry, but I was), the end of chapter 40 is the best place to stop reading.

I don't mean I didn't like it, because I did, but I felt like now, that everything is taken care of, a new plot would start running, with which comes a long waiting for new chapters.
That's why now, 'All's well that ends well', I am perfectly okay dropping the manga.