Manga 55403 Dame Na Watashi Ni Koishite Kudasai

This was actually a good story. For one, I'll give it an extra point for avoiding my least favorite tropes in romance (harem, love triangles, parents hating the spouse, etc). Well, it did have a bit of the parent not liking the spouse thing, but it was explained well enough to not let it bother me. The thing is, it allows for obstacles to the relationship without it being a cliche. This is much appreciated!

Another thing about this story is the charm. The cast is balanced perfectly, and even the 'antagonists' aren't trash. Sure, they did annoy me in ... the manga, but my heart also softened for them because you could understand where they're coming from. This story does a good job of outright not demonizing people. This creates a comradery among the cast. After everything is sorted out, they generally get along with each other. Even in the case of exes, it never demonizes or slanders the exes. It just shows that the timing wasn't right, it wasn't meant to be, there was a better option, trauma from the past interfered, etc.

Though with that said, I do have a few criticisms. For one, the art. The art will be good at one point, and then to trash. It'll give you whiplash at times. Another issue is that some of the characters say mean stuff. Even if it's passed off as a joke, the main girl internalizes a lot of the things they say. I really feel like that should've been called out, because some of these people were her friends.

Overall, I highly recommend the manga.

This review main contain minor spoilers, but nothing to put off a reader. I only want to inform the reader of what to expect.
Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai is a story about two adults who are completely different and drawn together only by circumstance. This story is mature yet lighthearted. The comedic timing of Nakahara Aya was not only well timed, but served to enhance the story. If you enjoy a slower paced adult romance this one is for you.

Characters: 8/10 - Shibata Michiko is a down on her luck, easy going, airhead. She's easily fooled by men with cute faces and ... lives off pennies because of it. However, she's not unaware of her folly, and she actively tries to improve. But character growth isn't achieved overnight, or in a chapter. Kurosawa Ayumu is a stern, sharp toungued, grouch. He's brash and quick to speak his mind. He really doesn't hold back, especially concerning Shibata. Both characters have distinct personalities designed to clash at all times. Watching their interactions had me laughing out-loud more than once. They have fleshed out backstories that help place them in their respective positions in life. The people around them were just as interesting. Focusing the story on side characters never felt like a slog because the chemistry with the main characters was always well done.

Plot: 9/10 - Shibata is giving her all, literally, to her cute younger boyfriend. Forced to buy only cabbage a the grocery store, she runs into her old boss Kurosawa Shunin. Shunin takes pity on her and treats her to meat, but not without giving her a healthy dressing down on how stupid her actions ave been. Kuwosawa offers her a part-time job at his resturant, and allowing her to stay in the upper floor of his resturant, Shibata and Shunin begin their new life together. Shunin and Shibata have wonderful chemistry. They influence each other greatly, enhacing the story further. A well developed plot and compelling arcs makes the journey all the more interesting.

While they don't immediately start off as lovers, the natural progression into having feelings for each other is much more interesting that way. The way they are at the begining, a relationship between these two would never last. Only by starting as they do, growing and meeting new people, do they begin to change and grow closer. I enjoy the distance and I think it makes the romance all the more sweet.

Overall, this is an amazing story. Shunin and Shibata are interesting and funny. Nakahara Aya has cemented herself with her romcom Lovely Complex, but I much prefer the adult shenanigans of Shibata and Kurosawa. If you enjoyed Lovely Complex, you're sure to like this as well, but Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai is more mature with its adult themes. If you really enjoyed this story, don't forget to check out its sequel, Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai Returns.

If you liked Lovely Complex, then you will probably like Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai. This should be the kind of story I really go for: corporate cog Shunin quits his conventional job to take over his grandma's cafe, with the ambition of recreating a neighborhood hangout where all kinds of people could come for peace, comfort food, and a restful respite from the stresses of their lives. It all sounds very Iyashikei.

But it is the delivery that I can't get into. There is a sort of romantic tension between the main characters, but the focus is not on the potential romance, ... but on the comic bickering between our ditzy 29 year old unemployable Shibata, and her new/old boss Shunin. The distorted facial features of Lovely Complex are the center of this manga as well. Contortions of chin, lips, nose to display anger and irritation are the mangaka's main trick, a style that she is dependent upon. If you found it cute in Lovely Complex, you will enjoy it here as well. But it is this dependence on the bickering couple that turns the story into an anti-romance.

I admire the mangaka. She seems very relatable and seems to be writing from her own life experience. It's just the style of storytelling, and the lack of actual romance that turns me off. I just don't find it comforting, romantic, or funny to read about couples bickering or fighting.