I wanted to really like this but I just found it ok. That could have something to do with watching the anime adaptation of it as well. Regardless I just didn't find it that funny and the plot was pretty aimless.

Ce manga est un manga que j'attendais depuis très longtemps! Non seulement, je suis fan de la couverture, mais le résumé m'intéressait énormément!

Dans Wotakoi: love is hard for otaku, nous suivons principalement Narumi et Hirotaka qui se connaissent de longue date. Ces deux otaku travaillent dans la meme société.

Tandis qu'Hirotaka assume complètement son coté otaku, Narumi elle, a du mal à cause du regard des autres. Pour elle, ça n'est pas socialement acceptable de révéler ce côté de sa personnalité. D'ailleurs, pour elle, l'échec de ses relations amoureuses précédentes est du au fait qu'ils ont tous fini par découvrir que c'était une véritable passionnée.

Par un fameux concours de circonstance, ces deux se retrouvent à sortir ensemble. Cependant, bien qu'ils aient en commun le fait d'être tout les deux des otaku, cela ne rend pas pour autant leur relation plus simple.

Malheureusement, j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à me plonger dans cette histoire. Premièrement à cause de Narumi qui m'a tout bonnement exaspérée, ensuite à cause du manque d'intrigue. En général, le fait qu'il n'y ait pas d'intrigue ne me dérange pas, mais ici, je me suis énormément ennuyée.

En revanche, j'ai beaucoup aimé l'humour très présent dans ce manga, ainsi que les différents clins d'oeil à la culture des jeux vidéos, des animes et bien plus encore.

En conclusion, j'ai beaucoup apprécié le thème principal du manga ainsi que l'humour. Néanmoins, ce double volume n'aura pas su me convaincre malgré son potentiel.

This was so, so cute! I love a romance that is centered around nerd stuff, and these two are definitely huge nerds. I'm interested in the character/plot development so far, so I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes. (Plus it just got an anime!)

Hirotaka seems to be more of a Virgo and not a Pieces... Not to be bias by any means being a Virgo myself. Okay, I may be partial as my boyfriend is a Taurus. Parts of the story is a little difficult to follow along with at the beginning. But the further I go in to the story the more it makes sense and I love it. I do recommend this manga for anyone who is a otaku even in the slightest. Has bits of romance and nerdiness. I loved it.

LOVED IT!!!

The premise is great and the way you are slowly introduced to the characters and their challenges is fun. I particularly enjoyed the dictionary/explanation of all of the allusions at the end of each book of the manga. The main four characters all work together and have their own levels of being an otaku. The two main characters are all out! They are Otaku to the highest level. Their co-workers are also into otaku habits, but are much more able to pass in the real world as normal. The two main characters begin a relationship. It turns out to be more than the bargain they made at the start of the relationship. Watching these two as they grow into their romance was cute. At the end of this one I wanted to read more! I am looking forward the the next few books in this series!

2.5/3 stars

I had some mixed feelings concerning this story and a little unsure what to say. Originally, I picked it up because it sounded like a lot of fun and really loved the cover.

The story in many ways *was* fun. However, I was personally caught off guard by the amount of perverted comments or conversations. It really put a damper on things.

Though even with that said, I do commend the author because I still kept reading. This story *really* is a rom com with an awkward romance and that was a lot of fun to read. It was super cute and loved how the couple related to each other in many ways.

Not only that, but I have not read a story that had fun online game roleplaying and many references to video games and anime. That. Was. SUPER. fun! I had to laugh at Hirotaka and his epic video game skills. As an excellent Mario Kart racer, that particular scene was gold.

I'm still debating if I will continue the series. I wasn't super fond of both Narumi and Hirotaka senpai as well as the said perversion. Some of the smaller font was hard to read and admit to ignoring some of it when there were longer "paragraphs."

If you enjoy a fun, awkward romance with great video games jokes/references, but don't mind some of the things I mentioned above, then I think this would be a great read.

*(I received an e-copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)*

DNF at page 112.

I really wanted to like this much more than I did. Someone out there will like this one...

One of my favorite animes this season is Wotakoi so when I saw the first volume up on Netgalley I requested it so fast I gave my mouse whiplash. I loved it! I don't think I've related this hard to a manga in forever.

Wotakoi is the slice-of-life office romance manga that I never knew I needed! I seriously loved everything about it! I really enjoyed the fact that the romances are between people in their mid-to-late 20s but it also did an excellent job showing older otaku in a positive light! Being in my early 30s myself, it was really refreshing to see representation of anime/manga fans, cosplayers, and video gamers that I could relate more to. After reading it, I can see why this series has been so popular in Japan. I'm so glad that it's finally been translated to English!

I love the romance between Narumi and Hirotaka! They've been friends since they were kids so they know a lot about each other. I found it charming that as well as they know each other they have to start at ground zero romantically. It was fun watching them learn about one another on a such a different level. It's been a while since I've laughed this hard while reading a manga.

Good news! The other romance between Kabakura and Koyanagi is just as good! They are the other couple's work and otaku buddies. They have a slightly different romance since they have been dating since high school. Unlike Narumi and Hirotaka, they know each other completely and their slightly antagonistic romance was adorable. One of my favorite parts was watching them trying to help the other two with their relationship.

The illustrations were beautiful and the storyline was quirky and different! And it had so many fun otaku references. Plus, all of the BL side jokes and gaming references were awesome for this otaku. Overall, the whole thing just cracked me up! If you're looking for a cute and nerdy office romance, I can't recommend this manga enough! I can't wait to get my hands on volume two!

A fun story with a lot of meta-content for long-term fans of anime and manga. I would defiantly recommend this title for a light, refreshing read featuring crisp drawings and hilarious comedic scenes.

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku 1 by Fujita

DNF @ page 53

I don't know. I just could not get into this one. I tried. I wanted something cute, light and fluffy and with cheesy office romance, but I was unimpressed with the pointless plot. The panels were packed with too many words and it overshadowed the art. It was unappealing to my eyes and the story wasn't enough to hold my attention. I'm probably just being incredibly negative and everyone will love this, but I'm not loving it and I won't be continuing.


Cover Thoughts: It's cute and fluffy.

Thank you, Netgalley and Kodansha Comics, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was so much fun! I already watched the anime before reading, so it was nice to see the differences. I honestly recommend that everyone read this and watch the anime.

Book Review
Title: Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
Author: Fujita
Genre: Manga
Rating: *****
Review: So, it isn’t often that manga appears on NetGalley but as soon as it does I request it without hesitation as I am a huge otaku myself (my OTP now is a three-way tie between Victor and Yuuri from YOI or Aoba and Koujaku or Aoba and Noiz from DRAMAtical Murder). So, we are introduced to Hirotaka and Narumi who were friends back in elementary school and are both hardcore otakus. If you don’t know what an otaku it, it is a young person who is obsessed with computers or aspects of popular culture to the detriment of their social skills or basically a hardcore gamer. Narumi is also a fujoshi - a self-mockingly pejorative Japanese term for female fans of manga and novels that feature romantic relationships between men. While Narumi decides to hide the fact, she is an otaku from everyone except Hirotaka because her boyfriends kept dumping her because of it, Hirotaka is out and proud about being an otaku.
As this manga series centres around romance I am almost 100% sure that at some point Hirotaka and Narumi will become a couple. And they do quite quickly although they disguise it as helping each other out with their individual otaku clicks and I was actually really excited to see where this relationship was going. Normally, I am not a fan of romance with the major exception of being a fujoshi myself (sigh!) However, their best friends are also in a relationship making double dates super easy but this manga while using some obscure references that only otaku will understand also makes references to very mainstream anime/manga series like neon genesis evangelion.
Narumi and Hirotaka’s relationship develops a little strangely at first because the transition from friends to couple is a little weird for them but they begin to work with instead of against their own unique quirks. One of my favourite parts so far is when Narumi sells her own BL comic and Comiket which is a bit like Comic Con and Hirotaka helps her finish her story and then travels to the event with her as a dedicated boyfriend would and it was just a completely cute and adorable scene. I already know that I will most definitely be continuing with this series.
Despite the hardships their relationship faces we see Narumi and Hirotaka develop a relationship that neither has ever had before and I also love seeing the relationship between Hanako and Kabakura. The first five episode make up the first volume and all of them were amazing and it has a realistic vibe, what I mean by that is the characters and the situations they find themselves in could happen anywhere in everyday life they don’t seem really out there and unrealistic like other (romance) manga. I also really loved the bonus comic strips that follow some of the episode they are funny and the references they make are just hysterical.
In the second volume we re-join the couple’s in the everyday lives and as all four of them are otakus they get along quite well although they have their differences for example, Hanako is really into cosplay and wants Kabakura to cosplay with her but he refuses because it would be embarrassing however, he is the only one of the group that hasn’t actually done any cosplay even Hirotaka has done a gender swap cosplay and damn he looked good.
We are also introduced to a new character Naoya also known as Nao who is Hirotaka’s younger brother by seven years who was also great friends with Narumi. I really loved the scene where Kabakura is sure that Nao is hitting on Narumi but then he thanks her for dating his older brother because he hasn’t found anyone he has connected with before, she is the only person. There was also a funny scene where Hanako bribes Kabakura into getting into a gender swap cosplay and I just found myself laughing out loud. I also liked the types of games played within this series they don’t stick to one type or genre. They play a range of games from solo handheld games to multi player MMORPG games. However, Nao is the odd one out as he is a non-otaku and is awful at games so is often left by the side-lines when everyone else is playing but isn’t salty about it he even enjoys watching other people be happy.
We also learn more about our characters like the fact that both Hirotaka and Narumi fear thunder and the first heartbreak Hirotaka had was when Narumi started dating other guys and not him although he never expressed his feelings. However, the heartbreaking thing was he went and got his ear pierced because her boyfriend at the time had piercing and she still didn’t notice him in that way making him feel terrible and she still isn’t aware of this, poor Hirotaka.
In the final section of this volume, we begin to see Hirotaka questioning whether he and Narumi are actually dating or whether they are friends who say they are dating so he formally invites Narumi on a date and she accepts. I can’t wait to read Volume 3 of this series, it is seriously funny with amazing artwork and compelling characters. If you want a funny, realistic manga then I highly recommend Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku.

My brain says three stars, but my heart says four. I think you need to trust your heart when it comes to humour and geeky references. We have two otaku couples. Our main couple, Narumi Momose (The all-round geek who loves her anime and manga and cries at character deaths) and Hirotaka Nifuji (A hardcore gamer with a cool demeanour).

Our second comic is Tarō Kabakura (The less-intense, grumpy otaku) and Hanako Koyanagi (Who loves cosplaying as male characters and reading yaoi)

The premise
Wotakoi centres around these two otaku couples and their antics in the workplace, on MMORPGs, gaming conventions or just when they chill together at home. This comic had me laughing from my belly several times. I really enjoy how the comic breaks through the stereotype of an otaku being a reclusive and anti-social person.

The plot
There is none, and I love it.

The Romance
Okay, I really loved the romance in this one. Momose and Hirotaka are a newly-formed couple trying to establish their routines, interactions and understanding of each other. I really enjoyed Momose and Hirotaka's relationship because they have been friends since childhood, and the way they reconnect based on their past is great.

While Taro and Hanako have been dating for years: I love Taro and Hanako because of just how much they tease and shout at each other.

The References
My inner geek was made so happy by these Neon Genesis Evangelion references:

Conclusion
Wotakoi is an enjoyable slice-of-life manga that I'd recommend to anyone who loves this genre of anime. It's sweet, reference-fueled and really, really funny.

I became vaguely aware of Wotakoi through my friends’ enthusiastic reviews of the ongoing anime series. While I haven’t had the chance to check out the anime itself, it seemed hilarious and interesting based on the screenshots they’ve posted of it. As it so happens, the English translation was available on NetGalley, and I was eager enough to read it for myself.

Wotakoi is a romantic, comedy manga very reminiscent of Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun (GSNK for short) – but instead of the characters being high school students, those in Wotakoi are working “OL” (office ladies) and salarymen. Every page is a bit and has a punchline, with a particular “event” tying them together per chapter. One chapter, for example, deals with Narumi preparing for Comiket, and all the comedy sketches would revolve around it.

All of the main characters are otaku, in one way or another, and neatly paired off with one another. There’s an interesting contrast between Narumi and Hirotaka, slowly working through their developing relationship, and their friends Koyanagi and Kabakura’s long-term, more stable one. However, the recurring gag about the latter’s constant bickering and arguments can be a bit tiring.

As someone who tables at conventions herself, the most fascinating part for me was the Comiket chapter. Narumi’s struggles in finishing her book and manning the booth – very relatable. Unfortunately, I’ve been there myself – cramming days before a con, barely sleeping, panicking about buying from other artists. It wasn’t fun while it was happening but it certainly was when looking back! I’m definitely excited to read the sequels, and maybe watch the anime too! ♦️

*I received an eARC from the publisher, Kodansha Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

https://librarynthines.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/wotakoi-love-is-hard-for-otaku-1-otakoi-otaku-cant-fall-in-love-1-fujita-%e2%80%a2-review/
http://librarynthine.tumblr.com/post/173706722687/wotakoi-love-is-hard-for-otaku-1-otakoi-otaku
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2385656192

This manga is excellent! Super adorable, funny, and well-drawn. It's a little mature in some spots, and is more suited to the Josei age range than teens. That said, it will still catch the attention of teens who like reading about otaku (a story element which is rising in popularity). Great for fans of Himouto! Umaru-chan and other such stories.

When childhood friends Narumi and Hirotaka run into each other as adults, it soon becomes evident that since they're both adult otaku that they would make a good couple.

The Story
So the story was quite promising for me. I thought it would be really cute to see two awkward characters navigate their relationship. Unfortunately, there wasn't much about their actual romantic relationship that made me keep reading to see how they cope. Now it has been a few years since I was an avid manga reader/anime watcher. But I would have to say that I definitely focused on a lot of shoujo, slife-of-life, romance. So it makes me a little sad to say that this doesn't have a lot of romance to it, and ends up really being shoujo, slice of life. Which in all honesty means it's just little tid bits here and there but no real continuous story. 

This first installment is mainly just about how the characters get together and the initial start to their relationship. All in all, not a lot really happens. However, so far, there are a lot of manga tropes happening that are sure to make readers happy. Some of these include BL/fujoshi, cosplay, and many old school anime references. 

My question is, is it really enough to keep people interested? Where is the conflict that keeps the reader going from one volume to the next? Obviously so, since they're making an anime out of it. 

The Characters
Aside from our stoic main male character and closet-otaku female character we are given two goofy side characters who are also in a relationship. While their relationship stems mostly of violence and arguing, it does add a little flavor to the manga itself. 

The Art
I think the real shining star for this manga is the art. With the larger bubbly eyes on the main female and the sleek slimmer features of the male characters, this manga is sure to draw attention to those in a post 2000 era. My favorite part might have been the clever in between chapter visuals that were provided, yes even the chibi versions. I am a sucker for chibi characters, they are just so darn cute. 

For those not wildly as informed on Japanese culture as someone like me (studied Japanes, spent several months in Japan doing culture studies, as well as have been previously a minor otaku) they provide visual explanations at the end of the chapters explaining the references that go far more in depth than just the *foot notes that are included in scantalations.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this series, but it's ADORABLE. The art is really well done (some of the bonus panels are in a more "sketched" style but they're still really good, just less polished-looking) and the characters are so endearing. I don't know how much a reader who wasn't at least peripherally involved in otaku culture would get out of it, but as a member of the target audience, I found this manga hilarious. I would definitely recommend Wotakoi to fans of Princess Jellyfish -- the humor has a similar tone. I'm very much looking forward to reading more!

3 stars

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this adorable romantic story we follow two geeks falling in love, their best friends arguing every second & backstories which are exposing many significant moments...

Soooo.... I’ve never read manga before. At the beginning I had a problem figuring out how to even read this thing. (I was pretty confused)... but okay, I figured, so let’s move on to.... CHARACTERS

Narumi - this girl was pretty annoying at first, but then I somehow adjusted to her annoyance & adorableness

Hirotaka - AWWH booooy, he was sooooo CUTE... introverted as hell, nerdy &, I repeat ... SO CUTE.

Kabakura - lol, this guy was hot as hell, but I just didn’t really get his behaviour against Koyanagi

Koyanagi - she was the same as her boyfriend Kabakura, just didn’t get them... but they were kind of funny, tho

Sooo, I REALLY DID ENJOY THIS. ( the art was just wow ) But, the cliffhanger at the end? Srsly? I need more. K, bye.

This manga is so relatable that It was like reading my memoir. It was light, funny and the drawing is so cute! I love bth mais characters and the two side characters are enjoyable too. Their dynamics are realistic and fun, even while dealing with insecurities and life.
A great start of a series and I intend to read the rest for sure!!!

I chose this book hoping to read a cute love story, and that's what I got. The first few chapters were slightly frustrating since I had never heard several of the terms mentioned there, but at the end of the volume, there were explanations for all of them, so that's not a big issue.

I expected to see a little more of the main character's relationship, They had a few cute moments, but I thought the book would have more romance than what it had, Also, sometimes their friends got more exposure than the actual main characters.

The story was fun and engaging, I just wish it focused more on the main characters. Other than that, I don't have any big complaints. I think it's a good read for people who enjoy this genre, especially if they're also fans of gaming and anime.