I received an ARC of Miss Miyazen Would Love to Get Closer to You, volume 1 by Akitaka published by Kodansha from NetGalley and Kodansha in exchange for an honest review.
One thing about me – I love shenanigans! I love stories where the plot doesn’t take itself too seriously. I can blush, giggle, and kick my feet while reading and walk away feeling light and full of hope. Miss Miyazen Would Love to Get Close to You was one of those stories for me and while it’s not topping any of my favorite lists any time soon, it was a joy start to finish.
In Miss Miyazen Would Love to Get Close to You, Sota Matsubayashi seems like a delinquent, bad boy type. Little do his peers know, underneath the surface he is a softie trying to make an impression on his crush Sakura Miyazen. Sakura Miyazen also isn’t what her classmates think – she is more than just a “nice girl.” She’s a cutie pie trying to get closer to Sota by watching mobster films to impress him. These two bumbling fools flair at interacting with each other. They are both too self-conscious in their attempts to impress each other to notice the other’s feelings.
Each chapter of Miss Miyazen Would Love to Get Close to You covers a different attempt of the two trying to get closer. By the end of the volume, it seems they are making progress. (Even if that progress only moved them forward a tiny inch.) Even though it was only the first volume, it seems to me that this story will be a slow burn. We will enjoy the journey of the two leads building a relationship.
I appreciated the light-hearted and comedic approach to both characters trying to impress each other. The misunderstanding is silly but does not feel overdone or tired. I enjoy Sota and Miyazen thinking that the other one is “out of their league.” Despite that, they still put an effort! I think they are so cute and I look forward to seeing what other shenanigans they get into.
Miss Miyazen Would Love to Get Closer to You, Vol 1
Mangaka: Akitaka
Publisher: Kodansha
Digital is available now
I got vol 1 & 2 recently and really enjoyed them. Silly misunderstandings but not belabored and 2 characters who actually seem to like each other. Looking forward to the next volume.