It's not a bad concept but the execution is just meh. The characters don't have very interesting chemistry together. I also find it somewhat odd that they both have male idols they admire. Having a girl fawn over a boy who isn't her boyfriend is a recipe for disaster. If she had a female idol, it'd be more in-line with the idea that she looks up to them rather than being attracted to them. But her having a male idol just makes it seem like they'll eventually set up a love triangle or some cheating nonsense. This series is a big pass for me.

As a high school teacher-librarian, I am still learning about manga. This manga taught me a new phrase: gap moe. It is a trope and it basically means when a character seems to be different than what they appear to be.

In the case of this title, Onda-san is the character that turns out to be a surprise. He has an idol and engages in idol activities. This helps him bond with his coworker Tachibana. At work, he is a tyrant and a demon, but after they clock out it is idol time. Time for both characters to love their respective idols.

This isn't a spoiler (see the title that says it all): Tachibana and Onda-san start dating and it is filled with all the awkward moments that happen when people start dating.

It is super cute, and I think my high school readers might enjoy it, but it seems to be only digital right now. Many of them prefer print manga.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha for this E-Arc in exchange for a honest review!

This shojo manga was super adorable! A fangirl and a fanboy work at a coffee shop, and decide to start dating! They are both otakus, and have huge idols that they look up too. When they start dating, they decide to do all their idol activities together, and they both start to realize how much they like each other.

The art in this manga is cute, and I enjoyed the simplicity. The way the mangaka portrayed about men having idols was drawn/written perfectly — like it was a normality.

I’m a sucker for any type of shojo manga, and I can’t wait to continue on with this manga series! 🖤

This was adorable! We follow Akari and her relationship with her grumpy coworker who also loves idols as much as she does. They originally bonded over their shared love of idols until he decides to ask her out— thinking their common love would make them be a good pair.

Their relationship was really cute! It was still very much grounded in friendship with some sweet moments interspersed. Lots of idol scenes and talk too which was interesting. I’m curious to see how they are in future volumes!

3.5/5⭐️

This was the cute little start to a rom-com manga. Tachibana (an absent-minded waitress) and Onda, (her serious and diligent supervisor in the cafe) find friendship in one another over their love of idols. They do idol activities together and their relationship develops as a result ...

This was a nice start to the manga - I do not know much about idol culture which is why I perhaps struggled with it very slightly, because it doesn't fully explain some of the activities and what they normally entail, but I got enough information to _just_ about work it out.

Despite this, I found myself smiling whilst reading this with a few cute scenes and their dynamic being good. There is a lot of miscommunication, both of them being unused to talking to people of the opposite sex, and that is evident throughout this story and helps the narrative.

The art is nice and clean, and I think this manga has potential to be a nice relationship manga.

At first, I stopped and then returned to Having An Idol-Loving Boyfriend is the Best! a few days later, re-reading the first chapter. There isn’t anything wrong as such, but the first chapter just didn’t click with me. I did enjoy Having An Idol-Loving Boyfriend more after the first half of the book.

Tachibana and Onda are rather cute. I like how they are ‘obsessed’ but kind and respectful to their idols. I’ve come across other fandom characters and they have been a lot. This story is much more balanced and, to me, more realistic.

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha for the earc.


I really enjoyed it! The characters were in their 20’s, which was a nice change since I’ve been reading so many books set in highschool. The main characters are coworkers at a bakery where they discover that they are both otaku. Onda professes his feelings towards Akari, they begin to date. They start dating and are very supportive of one another, they are both otaku and enjoy going to idol events and get merchandise.
I enjoyed the artwork, the story and I look forward to reading it again in the daytime and not super late in the evening.

Not sure what else to say about this one other than I liked it!

I loved the concept of this manga. Both the MC's were otaku's so they understood each other's passion. I believe this a first manga that I have read with a male otaku and the manga did a great job of showcasing diversity and blurring the lines of gender stereotype. I mean Onda-san was just a guy who loved a girl as well as an Idol..😍
Now only if I could find a guy who loves romance as much as I do. 😅

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

This was such an unexpected surprise. I love how they bonded over their love of idols. The book did a great job just letting Onda show his love of all things idols without judgement and I loved how his friendship with Tachibana blossomed into something more. It kind of reminds me of wotakoi a bit :) looking forward to the next one

This manga had such a cute vibe to it! Love that it’s encouraging boys to embrace their sensitive and more feminine side. I’m really looking forward to reading the next volume and really curious to see how the relationship between Tachibana and Onda develops. Also I don’t know much about idol culture so it was nice to learn more about it too! Makes me want to find my own idol to obsess over!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!

This manga is about an otaku girl with an otaku friend that is in love for her. They are trying to date and experiment things while just living their hobby. I liked this so much, I was in need of a manga that made me smile and was fluffy and that's what this game me.

Something I have to add is that the art is absolutely gorgeous. Love it also.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC! I loved this manga and thought it was so cute! I was a bit skeptical of Onda-san at first because he was so mean to Akari, but when they both realize they love idols, he turns into a huge softie. It was really interesting to see how they balanced their relationship with their love for their fav idols. I really liked how supportive they were of each other with their idol activities and can't wait to read more about how their relationship progresses!

4.5/5 Stars

Questo è un manga slice of life a tema idol! I due protagonisti sono diventati amici dopo aver scoperto di avere la passione di adorare gli idol in comune. Vanno insieme agli eventi e si divertono seguendo i loro reciproci beniamini. Ma il protagonista un giorno finalmente confessa i suoi sentimenti per la protagonista e le cose cambiano tra loro. Ma in qualche modo, anche se un po' impacciato, funzionano alla perfezione. Non ci sono gelosie, non ci sono battibecchi, ma anzi riescono a mantenere le loro passioni e a portare avanti (piano molto piano) la loro relazione. Spero davvero che le cose tra loro migliorino molto presto!
Lui è dolcissimo quando si emoziona per il suo idol preferito!
E il fatto che i protagonisti siano sulla trentina mi fa adorare ancora di più questo manga.
Perchè noi trentenni vogliamo rimanere sempre attaccati ai nostri sogni, anche in un mondo che ci obbliga a crescere.

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This is an idol themed slice of life manga! The two protagonists have become friends after discovering that they have a passion for idols in common. They go to events together and have fun following their favorites. But one day the male protagonist finally confesses his feelings for the female protagonist and things change between them. But somehow, even if a little clumsy, they work perfectly. There is no jealousy, there are no squabbles, but rather they manage to keep their passions and carry on (very slowly) their relationship. I really hope things get better between them very soon!
He is very sweet when he gets excited about his favorite idol!
And the fact that the protagonists are in their thirties makes me love this manga even more.
Because we, in our thirties, always want to remain attached to our dreams, even in a world that forces us to grow.

What an adorable concept! I love how sweet this is and can't wait to continue getting to know Onda and Akira more as they continue their relationship. I liked that they only introduced side friend characters at the end of this volume, that way we were able to spend more time warming up to the main couple. I'm excited to see what else will come from this series!!

First and most did I love the amazing artwork and it was a super easy fun and sweet read. For everyone who likes Mangas, Idols & cute and slight swelters characters it would be a perfect 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. 🌸

This manga is one that the cover and title captured my interest first and I wanted to know more. 

Overall, it's a super cute, fun read especially if you are big into idols and a major fangirl/fanboy.

Not quite up my alley BUT it definitely is a cute story and one that many will love. And I did enjoy the story. I'm not sure I'll continue on to volume 2 as it didn't hold my interest that much but it's one that I recommend (and have recommended) if idols/fangirling/fanboying/idol culture is of interest to you.

I do like that it made fangirling/fanboying so normal and accepted. No big deal going total starstruck and speechless when your idol is right in front of you, or traveling at all hours just to see your idol, or being totally decked out in idol merch with a sign and everything to support your favorite idol. Yep, totally cool and no biggie!

And most of all, I LOVE that they didn't make both main characters girls! When you think of fans, the idol obsessed, crazy fangirls you of course think... girls. I love that one MC is a guy and even a slightly older guy. Guys are total "fangirls" too!! And that's one reason I did love this manga.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this manga. It is the best thing when your spouse enjoys the same hobbies or interests as you because you can then experience it on a whole new level. Tachibana and Onda are coworkers at a diner, though they seem to be complete opposites in terms of personalities, they bond with each other over their love of their idols. Onda decided to confess his feelings for Tachibana who is surprised at first but eventually agrees to date Onda. They experience many new things moving forward as a couple. Tachibana and Onda go through the manga doing idol-loving activities that bring them closer as a couple and open up a newfound admiration and liking for each other. I must say that when I started this manga I wasn’t sure what I would get, but this was a manga that I thoroughly enjoyed and would love to see how the relationship develops for Tachibana and Onda as the manga continues.

It’s nice when your significant other shares the same interests as you. You get to experience things with different perceptions, sometimes discovering new things about the passions you love. It can cover anything, be it a sport, a video game, an anime, or — in the case of the couple in Having an Idol-Loving Boyfriend is the Best! — a certain performer. But there are different levels one can be passionate about, as Mito Aoi’s manga comes to show.

Tachibana and Onda are coworkers at a diner, whose personalities couldn’t be any more different. However, when it comes to idols, they bond like the bestest of friends. Tachibana worships Fuji-kun, while Onda admires Kiwa, and both do their best to support their favorite artists. That’s when Onda confesses his feelings for Tachibana, who is taken aback by the admittance.

Both decide to give the dating thing a go, with no idea how the end result will be. They experience dining at their favorite idols’ places, meet-and-greets, and many other idol-related events as a couple. But they also take on Onda’s birthday, traveling long distances together as a couple, and introducing their significant others to their closest friends. As their time together grows, their affection for one another slowly follows.

One of the strong elements of Having an Idol-Loving Boyfriend is the Best! is the fact that it’s the right kind of cute. While many shojo manga likes to drown its readers with the adorableness, author Aoi delivers just the perfect amount to make it an attractive read for any gender to enjoy. Yes, it has sparkles and pretty-looking characters, but more focus is placed on the story rather than the visual aspect. And fortunately, the narrative is pretty impressive for the story it wants to tell!

Despite an early bad first impression, readers are shown that Onda’s a genuinely good guy. Not only do his interests line up with Tachibana, but they genuinely have a decent amount of chemistry to make a relationship work. Even better is how Onda views his love for idol Kiwa, as it’s more about admiration and inspiration rather than a genuine romance. The same can be said about Tachibana’s love for Fuji-kun, as her now real-life relationship gets to a point where a conflicted schedule between an event and Onda’s birthday makes her try her best to make the right choice.

It’s when Onda invites Tachibana along to a trip to see Kiwa perform when the strength of their relationship is put on display. There’s some kerfuffles, especially when it comes to sharing a hotel room. But when it comes to the things they do together and experience, it brings the two a lot closer than either could’ve ever imagined. The trip even ends with Onda doing something that Tachibana was probably ill-prepared for, although her thoughts regarding it were a lot more positive than negative.

For its debut volume, Having an Idol-Loving Boyfriend is the Best! does plenty of things different for the rom-com genre. The character chemistry is great, and the reactions that Onda and Tachibana have when thinking of their faves are genuinely sweet. But when it focuses on the actual relationship, that’s when Mito Aoi’s manga truly shines. Even if you’re not the idol-loving kind of person, Having an Idol-Loving Boyfriend is the Best! delivers a good amount of heart and humor that’ll keep you fully entertained.

It's an interesting book. I read a lot of comics and manga so I know what I'm talking about. I love how cute the guy is about his favorite idol. It's funny how he has such a huge crush on his idol and on the girl too. Totally agree with the title, having an idol-loving boyfriend is actually the best!
oh I which i had one too.......haha just kidding
I totally recommend this book to all comic lovers out there especially those who are into romance.
Just can't wait for part 2!

Unfortunately this was not for me. I didn't really get the whole idol loving thing and found everything related to that kinda cringy.
However I really liked the male MC. His social axiety is depicted in a cute and gentle way without any judgement.