"Outstanding High School Debut" is a Japanese trope striking again in "Kusunoki's Flunking Her High School Glow-Up (Vol. 1)."

This manga had a unique take for me where both the MC and the heroine had their own "glow up" from previously "average looks/no popularity" pasts. Usually, these stories only have the MC with that background.

The struggles between "pessimistic trauma" and "not being social enough, despite the popularity" are interesting, more realistic struggles the two MCs go through despite their dedicated efforts to improve their appearances, "glow-up" per say. It's one thing (still commendable) to improve your outer appearance, but it's still another to be more extroverted, confident, etc., that stereotypical "successes" are. It's usually, a long, uphill battle, especially for introverts, so it was nice to see this being approached. Even so, it's nice to see the male MC was confident enough that he was satisfied with his "success" even though he's not popular like Kusunoki.

Right now, it's a little more one-sided where the male MC is vouching for and helping to improve the heroine. Of course, there are definitely moments of vice versa. However, with the male MC's past coming back to haunt him, the ending pages already seem to set up more of the heroine likely going to be able to vouch and help improve the male MC. I'm looking forward to volume 2.

Thank you again, NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advanced copy to read.
*Note: I intend to include this as an Amazon and/or GoodReads review once the book is released.

This manga reminds me a lot of the anime One Week Friends. It's very wholesome and light-hearted. We get two characters who tried their best to change themselves when entering high school but knew each other in junior high when they were both nerds.

While I do think this is adorable, I'm worried for the continuation - we see the girl who made fun of the MMC come back and honestly, I'm not sure how I'd like that development. I'll keep this series on my radar but it might not be one I pursue farther.

I don’t like that this story depends so heavily on turning girls against each other. Kusunoki’s earnest and a good character worth rooting for; if she was the heroine, she’d have a wholesome and supportive group of friends. However with Shizuki as the MC, she’s a weight tipping the scales of Shizuki’s popularity in one way or another depending on their apparent closeness while the only other female characters are betrayed as bullies or scheming villainesses.

I suppose since it’s only one volume so far I can be proven wrong, but I don’t hold a lot of hope. Obviously they’re going to end up dating and I’m okay with that, but I hope she also gets some genuine friends along the way (regardless of their genders)