What did I just read?

The romance in this manga is rigid. The female lead is bland and robotic, feeling a lot more like a list of check boxes than someone with substance. She lacks a personality and is more just about the guy.

There are too many unanswered questions that would have helped to flesh out the story a bit and build the world. Why does she have a curfew? What exactly is her past? Because it would have helped paint a better picture of her love interest's potential history as well.

The romance feels like it exists solely because she's a girl and he's a guy, without any other context.

Context really needs to be worked on.

I'm interested to see what development the second volume holds.

You can look forward to the usual really cute fashion, kewpie style faces, and weird ear fixations we've come to expect in Mikimoto's work! While I think that Rin Mikimoto's first English release, Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, had a stronger first volume. I'm excited to read the next volume of Lightning and Romance.

I like both of the main characters in this book and their interactions are adorable. Unfortunately the differences in ages makes any romantic relationship between them an issue for me.

✨3.5 stars✨
The plot is pretty cliché: Ninomiya (H) is a 20-year old yakuza in high school, seated besides Sumire (h), not a typical snowflake teenager. Despite his beautiful appearance, H's a bit of an airhead and softy. h falls in love and confesses to him. It's obvious he likes her too but trying to maintain a distance for some reason (unsuccessfully).

We love clichés here. So I liked the story. The characters are cute. I love the weird comic scenes. The first volume is only 4 chapters. I hope we see more depth in their relationship in the later volumes.

I do think the art is sloppy in some panels though.

I did not enjoy this manga very much. I liked the romance premise and setting until I learned that the actual budding romance was between a 21 year old and a 16 year old. The age difference just made me uncomfortable and I do not envision me continuing on with this series.

Especially if future volumes just furthers their relationship together while she is a still a minor.

1/5⭐️

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

Lightning and Romance 1 by Rin Mikimoto is an age gap romance manga about a high school girl and and 20-year old ex-yakuza type man. Think a bit of reverse "Honey, So Sweet" vibes. Mikimoto's manga volumes have been okay for me so far (her art style is a little heavy handed for my taste), but I did enjoy the main character's trait of having "guts", it was pretty unique, and I wouldn't mind continuing the series for now to see what happens given the opportunity.

Lightning and Romance (vol. 1) follows a 20 year old Ninomiya who is still in highschool and the girl who sits next to him Sumire. Ninomiya is known as a "bad boy"/ troublemaker so when Sumire originally meets him she's wary of him. Over time however she slowly starts to fall for him and so the romance begins!

Overall this was average story wise. It was a pretty basic plot with the age gap being a iffy but it's not the worst I've seen. The artstyle was beautiful though, all of the outfits were also well done. I like Sumire and Ninomiyas character but not enough to continue.

I really enjoyed Kiss Me At The Stroke of Midnight so I couldn’t resist giving this one a go, plus it sounded fun! The art is beautifully drawn and I love the expressions the artists draws for some of the characters when they react to things!

I had a really good time reading this! It’s light, entertaining and made me chuckle a couple of times but there’s also mystery to it too. Why is Sumire’s father keeping her so closely monitored? How does Reo know her from before? I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this but it really caught my attention and I can’t wait for the next volume!

I feel awful that I didn't really enjoy this manga. I could not get past the twenty year old in a second year of high school class. Sumire is adorable. She is the sixteen or so main character with sweet friends and a cute cat! Leo Ninomiya is a rich bad boy twenty year old bartender ex gang member. They sit next to each other in class and everything happens from there. I love the art style, it is so pretty! But I will not be reading the next vol because I can't get past the strange age difference. If this took place in college, I would have a very different opinion.

Thank you so much to the author, Kodansha Comics, and NetGalley.

Lovely!
This one left me with so many questions!
I can't wait for the next volume.
The art style is amazing and and the story is really interesting.
You feel the need to learn more about these characters.

Thank you so much for picking up this license! Mikimoto's illustrations are gorgeous, and the character dynamics are wonderful. I hope this gets a print release so I can add it to my school library collection! I have many shojo readers who would love this title.

Love the story in the first volume. I like how there is just enough suspense and build up to make you want more but not be freaking out when the volume ends. I'm not a huge fan of the similar character style to Kiss Me At The Stroke of Midnight because it felt a little confusing but I know it's the same writer/artist so it also make sense. I'm really hoping that the volumes come out on a regular basis instead of several months apart because I'm already invested in the story. Looking forward to volume 2.

This series didn't fully grab me. Of course, starting the volume right off with, "why are you, a twenty-two-year-old, still in high school?" made all my alarm bells go off, given this seems to be a romance story. I will say, the art is lovely, and there's enough going on under the surface to this somewhat cookie-cutter story that I'm still intrigued and want to see where it goes. What exactly happened to her? How is he connected? I'm still keeping my eye on this one.

First I would like to give a little background on the author.

Rin Mikimoto is well known as a digital mangaka. Lightning and Romance is her fourth manga series to be translated in English in the US. Her other works include Kira-Kun Today, Loves Reach and Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight. This is Mikimoto's third manga with an age gap which might cross the line for some readers.

Now on to the review portion:

Lightning and Romance starts off as your standard shojo manga. Our female protagonist high schooler, Sumire, is ready to experience love for the first time. Reo, our male lead, a mysterious 20 year old with a bad reputation, but he is really just a reserved guy with a troubled past. Coincidentally, Reo is also Sumire's new deskmate and almost instantly she feels drawn to him. I think that Lightning and Romance is off to a good start in volume 1, Sumire and Reo already have a interesting chemistry going and as a protagonist, I find Sumire's boldness to be a charming character trait. Hope to get more information on Reo in the next volume. Mikimoto's artwork is stunning but almost feels too perfect since its digitally drawn.

I'm happy to see Lightning and Romance is digitally available but I hope this see this in print someday.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha. I received this volume an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So this was pretty cute. Sumire is a high schooler wanting the whole romance thing and seems to have her curious eye on the 20 year old student whose rumored to be a bit of a thug. After a few encounters she sees theres theres more to him and can't help but fall for him. I really liked Sumire's character she was cute and the type of jump into any situation if she sees someone in need. Then there was her classmate who pretty much is big mystery - a mystery I want to know more of after reading this and how this volume ended. I loved each little moment that started for these two and can't wait to see more of what happens next.

I liked the drawing and the boy in this story.
Girl was a bit annoying though.
Fairly typical School based manga, not bad for an evening read.

Thank you so much to the author, Kodansha Comics, and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC!
This review contains my honest and unbiased thoughts and opinions. 🌸

Let’s start off with the artwork, it is absolutely gorgeous! The stunning artwork is one of the first things that captured my attention. For a manga, artwork is just as important as the story.

Now the story… the story… I can definitely say it got my attention from the very beginning and I had to know more, I needed to know what was meant by that statement!

I have so many questions!
Why?
And Why?!
And WHAT??!!

The story is about Reo, a 20 year old grown man attending high school, and Sumire, a quiet girl who is just trying to keep up with high school life.

The very beginning leaves us wondering what in the world is going on and then the story begins at school. New seating arrangements puts Reo right next to Sumire and she isn’t thrilled.

Sumire and Reo have a few encounters and we learn little things here and there about Reo outside of high school. We see tiny (itty bitty) glimpses into his real life. We also get to know Sumire a little more, meet the dad who seems overprotective and the friend that Sumire tries to keep up with.

At first, Sumire is scared/intimidated by Reo but slowly gets to know him, slowly their friendship forms and grows and Sumire eventually realizes she has feelings for Reo.

And then the author surprises us with the biggest WHAT!! moment yet…

Seriously, I need more info!

Now, I realize the age gap/falling in love won’t be for everyone. I read other reviews before starting the manga myself, but really it isn’t that bad. I’m not a fan of a major age gap but honestly, the story is far more interesting beyond that part.

For me, the story is more about what has lead to all of this, what’s the history and meaning behind it all? Why is Reo attending high school? What’s the past story? And what are the answers to all those WHAT?! moments? (sorry but I can’t say what they are without giving away too much detail).

It’s actually a great story so far with wonderful characters and I can’t wait to read the next volume and find out a little more.

The author keeps the story moving, keeps the readers interested and leaves us wanting more.
A great start to a new series!

I received a copy via NetGalley for review~

I really enjoyed this manga. Sumire, main lead character, wants to fall in love. But when her new classmate sitting right next to her ends up being a 20-year-old, she doesn't know how to approach him or the many rumors about him. But there's something about him Sumire just can't help but admire...

Volume 1 was great, and REALLY left me hanging wanting volume 2! Another manga that I'll probably obsess over!

3,5★

this manga is about a girl falling in love with an infamous bad boy whose name is Reo. after helping him Sumire, our main character, unexpectedly receives a thank you note with a bear on it. so how can she believe all those rumors?

THE ART IS SO GOOD AND THE PLOT SEEMED SO INTERESTING!! i loved loved loved our mc’s best friend she was always so supportive and sweet. but damn was it even more disappointing after finding out that he is a literal 20 YEAR OLD?? And Sumire our main character is in the second year of highschool, which i googled is between the age of 16-17… the age gap threw me off so badly that i couldn’t even enjoy reading it. everything else was so great and if the differences in age wasn’t there i would‘ve probably rated it 4,5 ★ .
i‘m not sure if i would read the second volume, maybe for the plot since it’s getting pretty interesting but never for the romance.

I don’t know how I feel about this manga.i like it, the storyline and Art style,

Sumire is starting her second year of high school and she is teenage so ofc she is ready for love. Ninomiya is sit beside her. Ninomiya is twenty-year-old bartender who still goes to high school. He is really nice to be honest
I loved his character and he is like goes between alley brawls and applying nail polish. Also He comes off like a sack full of kittens armed with razor blades. I personally think there is much of background story

At first the age difference of the characters bother me but then it was nice when they pointed out how it would be inappropriate, But then it got a little weird again

The Art style is soo beautiful and I still want to see how story will go in future

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha for e-arc