This was such a light-hearted and fun read! I typically don't find myself reading this kind of genre of manga, but I really wanted something wholesome for once and I don't regret picking it up. It's an easy to read and has the markings of a sweet, romantic comedy. Recommended for those looking for a fun read!

Well that was adorable!!

I don’t read much manga usually but my 11y/o loves the style and is always looking for new series to enjoy. When I saw this available for immediate reading on nergalley I nabbed it see if this was age appropriate. Miss Miyazen Would Love to Get Closer to You might be the most twee thing I’ve ever read. Two high school kids, one raised with privilege and one with a tougher past, feel drawn to each other and want to become friends. Awkward interactions and sweet miscommunications follow. This story was so bubbly and innocent and gave all the happy feels. If my kid likes this one, and I suspect they will, I’m going to happily buy the whole series.

Wow, that was so cute! This is a heartwarming, adorable tale of two classmates who are so pure and so out of their depths lol!

Miyazen sits in front of Sota and is intrigued by him after growing up very sheltered. She observes him and figures out what he likes, then tries to get to know what he likes. Unfortunately, her attempts to show him they have things in common go no where!

Sota is thought of as a delinquent, but has changed since his junior high years. While others are intimated by him, Miyazen is always friendly and he has no idea how to handle that. While he completely misses her signals, she also misunderstands a lot of normal school situations.

They're both confused little sweethearts who would love to get to know each other.

I can't wait to read the other volumes out, these are so cute and of course you know romance will bloom between them!

The art style is great as well, so for a light, sweet read you should def check this out!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A cute story of two high schoolers who have a crush on each other, but who are such polar opposites neither believes they have a chance. They constantly keep misunderstanding each other’s attempts to become friends. In short chapters where nothing much happens but regular school stuff, the two manage to get a bit closer. The volume ends before they’ve quite progressed to a friendship. Fun and with good illustrations. I’d read more.

What I love about Netgalley is that it offers an opportunity to read genres you're not used to. This is the first graphic novel I read and I think it's safe to say it's just not for me. I love the drawings, but storywise, it's lacking for me. I think I might have missed out on some references as well. But grateful I got the chance to read this nonetheless.

This manga was fluffy and the main characters were immediately very likable. It’s a story that’s quick to put a smile on your face. It follows high schoolers Sakura Miyazen, the school’s princess, and Sota Mitsubayashi, the delinquent, that are interested in each other yet have never spoken. The premise relies on constant misunderstandings between Miyazen and Matsubayashi which can at times be exhausting. Miyazen will repeatedly make yakuza movie references to try to appeal to Matsubayashi’s interests, however the storyline demands he misunderstand the situation every time. That said, Matsubayashi’s internal dialogue was entertaining as he attempts to overcome his shyness and was often the one that made me laugh. The moments where the two talk openly were always heartwarming. Not much happens beyond these miscommunications and hijinks in this volume as the story is focused on setting up the two’s friendship. It’s a slow burn, and an easy and relaxing read. I would be interested in reading future volumes.

If you like to watch a couple of super socially awkward teens trying to figure out how to talk to each other, this is definitely the manga for you! It’s super cute! These two characters have a LOT in common, but the MMC thinks the FMC is too much of a princess to like the things he likes and she’s too afraid to mention it outright. Cue the awkward dancing toward friendship (and maybe more?).

Thank you to Kodansha Comics | Vertical Comics for the digital ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This definitely read a lot younger than I anticipated. There's not much depth to the story and the plot is simply what the title is: for the two main characters to get closer to each other. Miscommunication is a major aspect of the story so if you don't like that trope this is probably not a good fit. The chapters are short which is nice and moves the story along rather quickly. The reader also gets to see both points of view so it's not entirely one-sided and you can see that both want to get closer and feel awkward around each other. I think it would be best suited for younger readers around middle school age. If there had been a bit more/faster progression in developing a friendship with substance I would have enjoyed it more.

Super cute quick read. Chapters are short little interactions between the two MCs who are adorably awkward in their mutual interest. A perfect little peek at their day without too much external noise. Ideal for preteens and up. Will be looking for volume 2!

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley.

Review shared as an Instagram story & saved in my 2024 Manga & GN story highlights: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17998493759459722/

Sweet and short chapters give a lighthearted glance into young romance and friendship, and the lengths young people will go to try and connect, even if it is sometimes easier to speak outright. An honest and fun story that will leave you begging for more.

This was so freaking adorable. I was smiling the entire time. The drawings themselves were so well done. The amount of emotion captured was exquisite. I also loved the whole miscommunication trope issues they faced. It was so cute and awkward in all of the best ways. I loved watching them slowly draw closer. I loved the use of dual POV to see what each of our main characters were thinking. I love the grumpy/sunshine vibes of them, it was so wholesome and sweet. We don't see much of any other characters but I liked it that way. Some manga or other novels will focus too much on side characters that are hardly fleshed out and end up just distracting from the story. This was not that, this story was so cute and I cannot wait to read more!!!

11/10 recommend to those looking for a cute little slice of life rom com. It was a sweet read. I need more.

Miss Miyazen Would Love To Get Closer to You
-Completed Series

The chapters are short with 15 chapters in volume one. This series is wholesome,but do keep in mind the relationship development is slow paced in volume one. After looking into how many volumes were available, it is a shorter series with 4 volumes. If you are looking for a shojo for a younger audience and on the shorter side, this would be a good series to recommend.
The two main characters are adorable and we get a sense of their personalities. As both are awkward with one another and their thought process is what you would expect when you like someone, but don’t know how they feel. I like how we get the perspective of both in each situation/interaction.

Summary:
Matsubayashi looks like a delinquent so his classmates generally stay clear from him; however, the one person that speaks to him is the class princess- Miyazen. Miyazen tries to get closer to Matsubayashi by doing things like quoting yakuza movies that he is interested in. There are misunderstandings between the two since he finds it hard to believe that she would be quoting those kinds of movies. Although both are awkward with each other, their encounters cause them to slowly get closer to one another.

Basically ML likes FL but they are complete opposite’s like he is a delinquent and she’s acts cutesy. It’s pretty much a basic highschool romance that’s been done plenty of times.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this for free!

This was a thoroughly enjoyable and heartfelt read focusing on the early moments of romance and the anticipation of first love. This was a wholesome story following two individuals, that on the surface, look like they may not be suited but we follow along their budding romance journey seeing little snapshots of their interactions - the sweet moments, the cringey moments, the caring moments.

Funnily enough it made me think of my own relationship as I met my partner in high school and I feel that is why I have connected to so much to the story and the characters. This story was funny and beautifully illustrated and is an easy-going read I would recommend to anyone.

This was pretty cute tbh. Not a whole lot of depth to it, but it’s still a cute read and you want to root for them the whole way through.

Netgalley Review

Star Rating: ★★★★★

This was a simple cute read, it follows to young people as they begin to realize that they like each other. There's a problem though. As soon as they get around each other they get really awkward and have trouble talking. Each one is trying in their own little way to make the other realize that they like them, but since both of them are dense a lot of misunderstandings happen. Overall it's a simple and cute read, that I think is definitely worth your time!

Like always read it and decide for yourself!

This was such a sweet story!! Immediately after finishing this volume, i went and read the other three and they were just as cute. This series is short and sweet and I definitely recommend!!

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but it was so cute and funny! I was hooked straight away and read it so quickly because the character's growing friendship is sweet and full of misunderstandings that made me smile. The tough guy and the princess - their classmates don't see them as a workable pair, but they each do their best to grow closer. I've already picked up volume two as I want to see this duo continue!

Review to come at the end of April on my blog/other places.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

I am normally not that much into the miscommunication trope, but it works so well in this adorable and hilarious manga! 

Meet our two characters, we switch between them either with chapters or scenes, Sakura Miyazen and Sota Matsubayashi! These two really like the other (friendship or maybe more, I am leaning to the more at some points in the story), but so far they haven't gotten much further than greetings. I was instantly in love with this manga with the first chapter. These two want to bond, want to get closer, want to do more than just say hi, but due to miscommunication in both parties things just end up in hilarious ways. For instance, Sakura really likes yakuza movies (or well she knows that Sota loves them and is now watching them) and tries to make references from them, some quite obscure. Sota immediately recognises said reference and wonders in shock if she likes that movie, but given how Sakura looks prim and proper he just dismisses it and thus things go hilariously funny when he tries to think of alternative situations and thus Sakura is confused. Their miscommunications never bore me because they always wield some unexpected results. Yes, you would think that it can get boring because if these two would just talk normally without assuming maybe it would all be solved instantly, but you know the miscommunications on both sides are just hilarious and adorable and it also brings them together. Yes, the miscommunication is actually helping them out. Though, I have to be honest, I wonder if it will be a whole series of that, I am not sure if I can handle it. The gimmick of it working out for them is fun for maybe 2 or 3 volumes, but after that, eh. I would like something else. 

I liked that we get to see both sides of the situation. Not just Sakura trying her best and how she reacts to things, but also Sota! 

Oh, and there is the fact that everyone is pretty much afraid of Sota because of his looks (you know the one)/his reputation (which I would think is not real) which is also not helping with communications. Yes, Sakura doesn't mind, but her classmates are and at times that influences things (in funny ways of course).

I also like that the chapters are mostly short with a few longer ones. It is perfect, you don't want to drag out things. 

And the art? I really love it! I see that this is also the mangaka for Witch Life in a Micro Room, a manga I was planning on checking out already but I am now even more curious about.

All in all, this one made me laugh and I am just shipping these two. OK, let's get the friendship first, but definitely want more afterwards~ I would recommend it.

This is a cute story about two high schoolers sitting on opposite ends of the social spectrum who want to get to know each other better, but aren’t quite sure how to connect. Miyazen is a proper, well-mannered princess. Matsubayashi is working class and rough around the edges, but with a good heart, though he has a reputation as a bruiser from his days in junior high. Their positions at either end of the social spectrum set them apart from other students, but that makes perfect conditions for them to connect.

The comedy comes from the two characters making assumptions about how the other will react in a given situation and completely overthinking what they should do. In reality, the two characters are really more alike and with each chapter they gradually begin to realize that fact.

The dialogue is cute and sweet, and Miyazen and Matsubayashi have fun banter and a good dynamic. My only critique is that we don’t really see much of the world outside other interactions, so we don’t have much context for understanding them as characters. However, this is the first volume and I am sure we will see more of their backstory as the manga progresses. All in all, a cute story!