Alright, Nicholson-San, why you gotta call us Otaku's out like this?

Every word spoke truth to how it was growing up as an Otaku. *<i>(For the UK it was early 2000's it began big!)</i> The art kids who enjoyed Anime and Manga were seen as weirdos to our peers for appreciating an alternative media. We were closeted. But down to the little details, like using the stationary you would buy in magazines, to the phone charms, to Purikura and sharing your love of your favourites through clothing, hairstyles, art and fanfictions. I felt very seen, and called out. The story itself made me laugh throughout, because of it's relatability and is a very enjoyable read!

I will say, the plot does feel very *predictable* or maybe I've just read too much Manga at this point to understand the storyline and where it might be going. 4.5 Stars!

Megumi, a divorced mom, reflects back on her years as an otaku and her growing crush on a guy (who happens to hate otakus). Though I’m not deep in the anime/manga lore, this read was fun, light, sometimes cringey, and poked at the delulu / otaku life (in a good way 😂). I loved how ridiculous Megumi’s thoughts were but also saw her inner struggle. Definitely curious to read more!

Thanks NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review

‘My Lovesick Life as a ‘90s Otaku volume 1’ it was cute I liked it, the art work was cute

Rating 3 1/2 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I couldn’t get past 50% of this manga. It was a bit cliche and the main character was so obsessed with her one personality trait. Plus her hating on kids nowadays for having it easier being otaku was very “boomer”. The love interest was ok tho

Reading the first chapter was rough going for me but once I got past that, I liked reading "My Lovesick Life as a '90s Otaku" well enough. I do have some reservations about recommending it. If you don't like stories wherein subcultures are referenced a lot (either it's too real for you, or it requires too many explanations) then this isn't for you. Otherwise it reads like a classic story of regrets and the struggle to be your true self versus how you want to be perceived by others. I'm not entirely sure if I want to read volume 2, but it looks like they're gearing up for a sports festival arc, if that's your cup of tea. Kudos to the legal team who had to clear all the IP references named/illustrated in this book, because wow, there's an awful lot.

There is a sense of inevitability and fatalism to Megumi's teenage years, as we already know she's a single working woman with a teenage daughter and a failed marriage, to presumably, not the class president. I actually like that—it gives the story some much needed narrative tension. I like the quirky artstyle and the indepth exploration of otaku-dom as it was in the mid-90s. The story and the characters are all interesting and compelling. I'll definitely be picking up volume 2 to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I really struggled getting into this manga. It was only a short read but I didn't find myself wanting to pick it up. The story was pretty basic but I did like the art style.

Perfect For….
Fans of teen romance manga

Quick Synopsis
Megumi thinks back about her days in the life of a otaku during the 1990s.

My Review
I gave this manga 4 out of 5 stars. This was my first time reading a manga and I thought it was really good. I like the storyline and how it goes back into the past. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because not a lot happens in the romance area. This volume is more about background information and gives the readers a better understanding of the character Megumi. Other than that, this manga is clean for those who are curious and I would recommend to other people. I’ll be reading the next volume to find out what happens.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a relatively straightforward manga which is the spice of life romance. Otaku falls in love with a normal guy, so it’s very basic with the concept and the arsehole as well as the writing is very simplistic, but it is very over the top and expressive which I didn’t really like, so I might read more of us, not on my top rated to list because it just didn’t stand out for me generally.

This was a fun first volume that has me excited for the next one! Nicholson drawing from their own experience as a 90s otaku gives deeper connection to both the characters and the reader, who is likely an otaku as well. I’m looking forward to what this series as in store and what other uniquely otaku things Nicholson can reference as the story continues.

I don't think I was honestly expecting to like this manga as much as I did. The nostalgia of it being set in the 90s was different and fun to read. Megumi is unintentionally funny with the ways she tries to hide being an Otaku from everyone. Would definitely want to read the second book to see where this story takes us.

tl;dr
A slice of life packed with nostalgia that should sit will with manga fans, no matter what age.

Thoughts
It's a good time to be an otaku. Anime and manga get theatrical releases, place of pride on shelves at big name bookstores, and Netflix adaptations. So it's weird to think that less than a generation ago, liking anime officially made you persona non grata in society. Single mother Megumi is working through these weird feelings as she reminisces on her high school years and her first crush. It's a bittersweet story tinged with nostalgia. Classic series, otaku penpals, and other fandom essentials from the 90s feature heavily. Older readers will reminisce. Newer readers will probably find parallels between current fandom practices. But at its core, everyone will understand. Public opinion on anime might be different these days, but the ache of trying to fit in in high school never changes. And that's where the heart of this lies. It's a sweet high school slice of life, with a hint of romance, and a heap of self discovery. Tying it in with her current day helps keep the story in focus, and I'm really curious to see if her past and future will ever line up - especially given some of the threads that are in here. Art is bold and expressive, with plenty of energy.

Boy did this manga take me back!

First of all, thank you so much to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing a free copy, I enojyed reading it a lot. As a 30-something adult, the series mentioned here, the little but intense delusional world you have and trying to balance being open about what you love with trying not to be "too much" was relatable. Plus, I was on Team Rukawa as well :D.

At first I thought the series would be a "throwback" and we'd only see the grown-up Megumi in the beginning and solely focus on her experiences as a young girl and an otaku, but was pleasantly surprised to see that we'll read about her current adult life as well. Women in fandoms, espeicially the ones who consume female-coded genres/themes/hobbies have always been either ridiculed, weren't taken seriously or seen as worth the time and it kind of does get worse as you age unless you find a community you can feel comfortable being a part of. It'd be great if this was examined a bit more deeply as it goes. So I'm definitely looking forward to how the second volume goes!! .

This was a super cute first volume of a manga. I think it would be easy for any adult to relate and also for younger ages to maybe see things from their parents perspective. I can’t wait to see what happens between our main character and her pen pal and her and the prez! Now waiting on Vol 2. :-). #MyLovesickLifeasa90sOtaku #NetGalley

this silly, self-aware manga plays to the nostalgia of the 1990s anime fandom era in both narrative style and art, making it the perfect story for the aging otaku. i enjoyed having bits of megumi's adult life woven through the story to show how far she's come since her time in high school, and while the premise felt like it was doing a little bit too much for a first volume, i look forward to the next volume!

Very silly and lots of fun! I loved all the references to '90s anime, manga, and otaku culture. I got into manga and anime in the mid 2000s, when it was still kind of looked down on as a nerdy interest. I am glad to see how accepted it is now. I am looking forward to the next volume.

As someone who got into anime and manga in the early 90s, thanks to fifth generation fansubs my then-boyfriend's roommate had, this manga pushed my nostalgia buttons hard! I definitely connected with the MC. It won't be for everyone, but for old school otaku, it will be a treat.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I received a digital copy of the first volume of My Lovesick Life a a ‘90s Otaku. from NetGalley (thank you!!) and I was so happy that I was given a chance to read this.

The series focuses on the life of Megumi, a woman who is reminiscing about her teenage years as an otaku who recently transferred to a new high school. While the majority of the series focuses on these flashbacks, we also get to see Megumi’s current life as a divorced, single mother of a teenage daughter. As we learn about Megumi’s high school years, full of Megumi trying to find a balance between being a “normal” teenager and a lover of all things anime, manga, and games, we also get to see how Megumi responds to the world of 2021, a time when being an otaku isn’t so taboo or shunned.

I’ll admit that the first thing that caught my attention was how bright and fun the cover of this volume was. It really did a good job of establishing the comedic, laid back feeling this book had throughout. The art style was equally entertaining and I found Megumi’s big facial reactions hilarious.

This one volume of manga also contained the longest section of translation notes I think I’ve ever seen, but I think it’s important that we have some explanations concerning Japanese pop culture in the 90s in order to fully immerse ourselves in Megumi’s world. I loved reading about the ‘90s otaku life style.

The best thing I think this volume did was drop hints of future plot points or spend time with characters that will obviously be important later on. It left me wanting to read more! I want to learn more about adult Megumi’s past relationship! I want to hear more about teenage Megumi’s previous school! I need more information about that last scene!! One thing I especially loved was that they are already introducing the potential (maybe???) second love interest who I immediately wanted to protect at all costs.

Nico Nicholson did a wonderful job laying down the groundwork for their series and I can’t wait to read more!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a free copy of this manga in exchange for my honest review. I really, really enjoyed this novel and will definitely be looking forward to future books in this series. I (fortunately) did not grow up in a time when being an Otaku would be a reason for other kids to make fun of you, but I think the plot of this seems super realistic. I'm anxious to see what happens to the main character as the story progresses, as the dual perspective shows she is divorced with a child. I've got my fingers crossed for a happy ending for her!

So, this manga caught my interest from the cover. I was shocked at first how much u related to the main character because i grew up during that time where if you like anime or other things , you would get bullied. So , i related that part. I found it funny so far with the other characters and liked how it is flashblack to her highschool days and present time as a single mother. Made me intrigued to see how her story goes. Overall it was a fun read.