So Cute It Hurts!!, Volume 1

June 29, 2015
Megumu and Mitsuru are twins who go to separate high schools. When Mitsuru is in danger of failing a class, he convinces his sister Megumu to take his place at the exam tableâthough he must take her place as well. Mitsuru goes to an all-boys school for delinquents, and Megumu is the top otaku (manga fanatic) nerd of her coed class. The initial switch goes off without a hitch, but when both fall in love with strangers under their sibling's identity, their reasons for continuing to keep up the charade become ever more complicatedâand potentially damaging. Delicate, refined art allows readers to tell the characters apart even in disguise, and critical moments of humor deliver the story's theme of being accepted for who you are. Veteran Ikeyamada (Get Love!) delivers a quintessential shojo manga: a story of empowerment, spiritual blossoming, and achievement through adversity that handles personal responsibility, gender, class, and disability (Mitsuru falls for a deaf girl, and Megumu falls for a semiblind boy) with a rare poetry.

December 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Twins Mego and Mitsuru's differences go beyond gender. While Mego enjoys history and history-themed video games, Mitsuru prefers competitive fighting and the pursuit of girls. On the verge of punishment due to poor performance in history class, Mitsuru convinces Mego to take his place at his all-boys school for one week to improve his grades. Cross-dressing high jinks ensue, and the result is a lighthearted comedic shoujo, heavy on syrupy sweet moments. The comedy results from the twins acting in ways that are typically reflective of traditional gender roles. Readers will find themselves chuckling at Mego's difficulty with remaining in character and Mitsuru's gender-bending flirtatiousness. For all intents and purposes, Mego and Mitsuru are cutely drawn (as teens and as chibis) and have the appeal of playful puppies and kittens. Teens will find themselves amused by the story while wishing for the big reveal. As in all series installments, the resolution will have to wait for the next volume. VERDICT A typical shoujo comedy of errors for manga fans.-Tamela Chambers, Chicago Public Schools

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