So I was looking around for a new ecchi series to pick up and this one seemed like a fairly promising title. The synopsis gave me the impression that this was going to get really funny, not to mention how "creative" the entire concept of gender bender can be.
Well let me just say this: It provides all of what you would want from an ecchi, but it even throws in the added bonus of character depth and the potential for development. I say potential now because the story so far has only covered the roots of the main cast. But still, with the way this manga is turning out so far, I can't help but feel that the element of character building will take place later on (I will try to update this comment as soon as I see this occur).
The story of course is nothing too out of the ordinary; it is a regular, slice of life school setting with girls forming a music club and a guy who encounters many crazy circumstances that lead him to cross-dressing for the sake of participating with the group. The cross-dressing, however, is not something that has been put in for the sole reason of creating that weird kind of fetish craze that has plagued much of the entertainment that Japan has become so famous for. The author uses this as a method to portray the feelings of the main heroines who seem to have been inadvertently affected by men in their life. The author presents it in such a clever way that it makes sense as to why this gender bender theme would be used at all and how effective it has actually turned out to be (something I have personally thought impossible until now). It not only allows the MC to be closer to those who can't be around guys, but it also gives him the opportunity, through the rich quality of his singing voice, to interact with people who care for him for the first time in his life.
If there is any flaw in how this story is set up, however, it's that the author uses the method of circumstance in order to somewhat force a particular situation. However, this is something that I can consider forgivable. It could very well be my lack of imagination, but I honestly cannot see how this can be improved and the story does very much rely on the MC being mistaken for a female. I am at least thankful to the author for addressing many situations at hand and not leaving any inconsistencies that would detract from the quality of the setting and allow itself to become another mindless ecchi.
The art is quite impressive too. The characters are drawn so well and incredibly cute... almost too cute actually (I hate the fact that the MC is so damn moe as a cross-dresser >.<). The facial expressions are a nice touch and add a good deal of emphasis to the feel of the moment, keeping you from ever getting bored.
The comedy is a great deal of fun and pretty much the bread and butter of the manga so far. Some of the mishaps and the misunderstandings are highly enjoyable and a lot of fun to see. This is another example of how well the author utilizes the gender bender theme!
The characters are pretty fun. They have enough distinguishable traits to maintain individuality within the group and they all seem to compliment each other in a very comedic way too.They may not come across as something spectacular you'd see in a lot of mangas with a heavy emphasis on plot, but I'd say they are well rounded enough for the school and slice of life setting. They are at least on a level that is fulfilling enough to cover the gap of excitement that slice of life often brings. None of the characters stand out more than the other, but the story does put a little more focus on the MC and lead heroine than the other 2 in the main cast.
Now also remember that this is an ecchi themed manga. If you are the type to be displeased by pandering techniques such as bath scenes, tit grabbing, panty shots, etc., this might not be something you want to pick up. If you aren't bothered by fanservice, but don't particularly care for it, I'd say that there is enough reason to try this manga out. If you are, like me, wanting to get into this for the ecchi, be prepared for the time of your life! While it doesn't get as extreme as borderline H mangas such as To LOVE-Ru Darkness or Kiss x Sis, it still does incredibly well towards the target audience and I would say is above the average quality you would get from the majority of ecchi.
