The main character for this isn't necessarily super likable, but I find that's what I like the most about her. She's complex, and is a great driving force for the second female lead. Her motivation to "get the guy" is immature, but they're high school characters, so it makes sense. Honestly, I find the male love interesting to be the least interesting character, maybe there's more to his story but so far he just seems like some random friendly guy. This was an interesting starting volume, but it felt a bit repetitive at times. I'm interested in continuing the story, though!

A new manga series about love, self-image, and the k-pop industry.

I am surprised by how much I really loved the first volume of this manga. The illustrations are beautiful (they almost have to be when we’re talking about idols), the characters are individual and interesting, and it packs in a lot of real emotion.

Tenka has been in love with Harumi since they were little. In an effort to be worth of him, she strives for perfection: perfect grades, perfect appearance, perfect athleticism. When Harumi meets a new girl, Erian, as they enter high school, Tenka finds herself jealous of Harumi’s interest in her. Erian is plain but unabashedly herself. She’s also an aspiring k-pop idol.

First and foremost, I have to say that I loved the characters. They’re each distinctly individual, and I appreciate that everyone looks different. In a manga that relies so heavily on themes of self-image, each character has a distinct appearance with different facial features that were truer to the real world than a lot of graphic novels portray. We see the world through Tenka’s eyes, and while she’s the typical mean-girl on the outside, we’re able to see the self-doubt, the insecurities, that push her toward perfection. I loved her as a character and my high school self can really identify with her jealousies and concerns around others perceptions of her. I wouldn’t say she’s a role model for teens, but I think there’s many that would share my connection with her emotions.

The interactions between the characters all felt organic. I loved seeing Tenka break from the typical mean-girl stereotype to help Erian in achieving her dreams. While she’s doing it in part for her own benefit, Tenka and Erian’s relationship felt organic and realistic.

Just in this first volume, there’s a lot of food-for-thought moments, morals being planted for future volumes around self-image and the ways we can easily become self-absorbed. I look forward to seeing the way that these lessons are expanded and developed through the story. I also look forward to seeing how k-pop as an industry is tackled. Already, there are breadcrumbs alluding to less than stellar sides of the industry and, honestly, just fame in general.

Tenka was a shy outsider as a child until Harumi brought her out of her shell. Determined to make herself worthy of Harumi, she focused all of her energy on being the best at everything. In high school, Harumi befriends a new girl named Erian who has dreams of becoming a K-pop idol. Jealous that Harumi's attention has been drawn away from her, Tenka decides she will audition to become an idol as well, kicking off their relationship as friends and rivals.

This was a cute little story and I can definitely see that it's heading somewhere interesting. This first volume definitely felt like an introduction to the larger story, as we didn't really get to know any of the characters very well. The artwork was really cute and fit the tone of the story and I'm interested to see where it's heading. This will be a great one for fans of idol culture or stories about friendly rivals.

Girl Crush is for the K-Pop stans and readers who like a mild yandere lead.

I enjoyed the art and the characters. This is just going to be a fun read surrounding the world of idols and crushes. I hope the next volume offers a little more backstory and character intrigue, but it is worth a read if you want something cute!

I'm super invested! I really like that this is from the perspective of what is normally the antagonist girl, rather than the cheerful happy go lucky protagonist.

Girl Crush is a really lively and stylish manga about two very different Japanese teenagers trying to become K-Pop idols. The subject matter feels very fresh and relevant, and the art does a great job depicting the movement and passion of the dancers. This is a title that I would definitely recommend to schools looking to add modern titles to their manga libraries.

Light hearted, comedic, and a joy! Love getting to see more k-pop and j-pop idol sensations. A fast read and looking forward to the next one!

This was a very intriguing start to a series. As someone who used to be into K-pop a lot, I can see this book pulling in readers who love that genre. I love stories about idols trying to achieve their dreams and characters that have the "it factor" or not. If I had access to more chapters, I would have easily binge-read this. I love the dynamics between the two main girl characters. In places where I thought the main character might be petty or mean, she rises above that, and I can see a genuine friendship beginning between them. The fast pacing of the manga, as well as the dynamic art, makes this a delightful read. I can't wait to read more!

I was unsure when I first started this as it seemed this was going to be the usual love triangle type thing but this was more! I actually really liked the second half of this. I am definitely going to check out volume 2.

Tenka Momose has it all, she can dance, she can sing, and she looks flawlessly perfect, dancing like a pro for the school's dance team. Not like Erian Sato, an upbeat loner who dreams of crossing the channel from Japan and becoming a K-Pop idol, but is sloppy in her execution. So why does Tenka's crush Harumi like Erian? Tenka decides to go with Erian to Korea to steal her audition out of jealousy.

However, since Tenka's always excelled, she doesn't know how to express her heart, something Erian is good at even though she lacks Tenka's inate skill. When they arrive in Korea, neither Tenka's skill, nor Erian's enthusiasm, is enough by itself, and they get shown up in an early audition. However, they're offered a private audition after giving an impromptu performance on the street. Can they make it work somehow?

That about sums up the events of Girl Crush Vol. 1. But it's more the vibe that's interesting. Tenka is a fascinating but unsympathetic protagonist, she goes along with Erian seemingly out of spite, but can't help but be drawn to her. Erian's bubbly and unflinching optimism and drive are so thoroughly in your face, it's hard not to see them as a mask. Girl Crush is setting these girls up to need each other for success, though volume 1 ends before it gets there.

Art wise it has the look of a lot of contemporary web manga, a slightly thicker line than I'm used to seeing in print, but not an unwelcome one. Characters are expressive, but the choice to focus on Tenka, as a seemingly capricious or even cruel protagonist (instead of Erian, who would be the more traditional choice for a shoujo protagonist) may turn off some readers.