I would've rated this a ten when I started reading it because it was one of those amazing mangas that got me really hooked...I'd even read until 3am even though I had class at 9 in the morning or had papers to do when I first started reading a couple of years back.
Looking back, it feels nostalgic and all, it was a really good shoujo that kind of gave off the same feel as SA...then I got bored. I dunno whats wrong with me but remembering how excited I was whenever I clicked to the next page and was like 'OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!' and fangirl-ing like crazy, I'm seriously asking myself what the heck happened?
It was great at the start and had me on a shoujo high and I couldn't wait to read the latest chapter but then it somehow became a chore to read from chapter forty-something onward. I love Misaki and Usui and all and I'll always remember loving their hilarious romantic development. Usui's possessiveness and Misaki, the strong-willed tsundere...loved it.
And then that was it. I couldn't get myself to love the plot anymore. Cliches kept popping up. Don't get me wrong, I'm okay with cliches since it depends on how the author can use it to his/her advantage and how it is applied, how the characters are worked out. And it's pretty hard to avoid writing a cliche.
Usui is perfect. He's one of the many 'Edward Cullen's in the manga world minus the fangs and general emo-ness. I loved it at first but then it got boring. His only so called "flaw" is his possessiveness, making him even hotter/perfect-er (is that even possible?). Who wouldn't want the perfect dude monopolizing them anyway? His past is sad and has family complications and all that drama...which only adds to his allure I guess while not exactly affecting his perfectness.
One thing that got me reading this manga was 1) art and 2) Misaki's kickass self. I loved that she's so tough and all coz me no like those wimpy ass crybabies you may find in your average shoujo but I have to admit her tsundere-ness started to tick me off after some time. I just keep wondering what if Misaki suddenly became equally as agressive as Usui and then Usui would be the one all flustered, not knowing what to do. That would have been hilarious to see and I would've loved Usui more.
Sigh, even after they got through the whole 'Usui, I like you too' thing with Misaki, that was it. No more development. No more character growth (if there even was other than Misaki accepting her feelings for Usui). Only the usual plot devices trying to come in between their love. Plot devices from Usui's past, if I may add. Was his past just that? Something used for the plot to get going?
Sorry, long review. But for those just starting, this is a GREAT shoujo for you. Don't mind the nitpicking. It has good art and basically good characters and the plot fairs well.
Edit: I plan to reread this as others have recommended. I'm sure I'm gonna love it all over again and I hope it will stay that way and I'll be able to give this a ten.