Tokyo Boys & Girls

 Title: Tokyo Boys & Girls
 Creator(s): Miki Aihara
 Publisher(s): Shogakukan Inc., VIZ Media
 Year: 2004
 Genre(s): Shoujo, drama, romance
 Length: 5 volumes
 Reviewed by: Jenny on September 09, 2007

Synopsis

Mimori Kosaka has a simple dream: get accepted into Meidai Attached High School, wear her "dream uniform," and find a cute boyfriend. Mimori is elated when she is accepted to her dream school and manages to befriend the beautiful Nana Takaichi. Everything seems just peachy until she bumps into Atsushi Haruta, a scary looking guy with bleached hair and ear piercings who vows to take his revenge on her. Unfortunately, Mimori can't remember Haruta... or remember what she did to instill such hateful feelings in him. Things don't get better when she accidently destroys Ran Shingyoji and Kazukita Kuniyasu's "million-dollar" self-developed video game. What's Kosaka to do with three angry boys out to get her?

Review

The synopsis is simple enough, but storylines in Miki Aihara's mangas are anything but simple. They get tangled because human emotions get in the way. Haruta finds it hard to stay angry at the bubbly, meddlesome Mimori while Mimori finds herself falling for the surprisingly soft-hearted and awkward Haruta. Then you have Kazukita, the object of every girl's desires, including Nana's. He's cool, mysterious, handsome, intelligent, and loaded. Unfortunately for Nana, Kazukita doesn't give her the time of day. He doesn't even know it himself, but he is inexplicably drawn to Mimori. This undoubtedly inteferes with Mimori and Haruta's budding relationship. Nana's infatuation with Kazukita in turn greatly upsets Ran who is of course, in love with Nana, every guy's dream girl. Throw in some family problems and you've got what this series is all about. Delving into twisted and tangled relationship webs is classic Miki Aihara storytelling. If you like drama, her stuff is for you. If you're familiar with some of other work such as "Hot Gimmick," you'll know what I'm talking about.

While I liked "Hot Gimmick," I have to say I prefer "Tokyo Boys & Girls." The reason lies in the personality of the main character. Mimori is a fighter. Things don't always go her way, but she tries her hardest to stay strong and put up a brave-front. She puts other people's feelings before her own, and goes out of her way to help others. Sometimes this causes more problems than solves problems, but that's just the way she is. She is a very unselfish person with a strong sense of justice. There are four other main characters in this series, but Mimori is the one character that makes it what it is. That is more than I can say for the spineless and indecisive Hatsumi of "Hot Gimmick."

What sets this series apart from other shoujo manga is it's pace. Where other series require twenty-something volumes to tell a well-developed story, "Tokyo Boys & Girls" requires only five. How does Aihara do it? By trimming down on unneccessary scenes and focusing on the important bits of the story. If Aihara has ever had writer's block, you wouldn't be able tell. There is no aimlessly meandering with the storyline. The result is an intense and fast-paced treat for shoujo fans.

Overall Rating: 4/5