This series features some classic elements of its story type, in that way it's quite common. It's a high school romantic comedy story - filled with school festivals, class trips, classrooms, peer pressure, teenage emotions, hormones, and activities, future pressure and the like.
The story starts with Yamada and Kosuda, both virgins who have never had a relationship or even really touched the other sex. I enjoy how the progression deals with issues that affect real couples.
While the story ends happily, it's a rocky road that deals with annoying rivals, misunderstandings, sexual performance issues, love and developmental issues (especially for Yamada), but it overcomes those maturely. I also love how those hiccups don't seem forced for the sake of story or drama, but seem natural.
At the end of the series, Takashita often remarks many times on how over the course of the three years of high school that Yamada has matured intensely. The issues become increasingly dealt with in mature fashion as well.
Some have described this series very feminist because Yamada is said to be sexual and know what she wants. While the portrayal of female sexuality overall is good, Yamada, in fact, often doesn't know what she wants. Her emotions are conflicted, especially when actually becoming physically intimate with Kosuda.
In the beginning, we're set with a contrast of a popular and very pretty Yamada and the average, boring Kosuda. Through the series, both Yamada and Kosuda grow. Because of each other, they both become more realistic and mature together. While initially just a draw of "pretty, popular girl meets and falls for average, kind boy", over the series Yamada becomes in some ways more average while Kosuda becomes unique and manly.
Overall, I enjoyed the series decently. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the romance and/or high school genres of manga/anime. While not the best story in complexity, its simplicity at times is delightfully deep.
Curious Self-Exploration
This series features some classic elements of its story type, in that way it's quite common. It's a high school romantic comedy story - filled with school festivals, class trips, classrooms, peer pressure, teenage emotions, hormones, and activities, future pressure and the like.
The story starts with Yamada and Kosuda, both virgins who have never had a relationship or even really touched the other sex. I enjoy how the progression deals with issues that affect real couples.
While the story ends happily, it's a rocky road that deals with annoying rivals, misunderstandings, sexual performance issues, love and developmental issues (especially for Yamada), but it overcomes those maturely. I also love how those hiccups don't seem forced for the sake of story or drama, but seem natural.
At the end of the series, Takashita often remarks many times on how over the course of the three years of high school that Yamada has matured intensely. The issues become increasingly dealt with in mature fashion as well.
Some have described this series very feminist because Yamada is said to be sexual and know what she wants. While the portrayal of female sexuality overall is good, Yamada, in fact, often doesn't know what she wants. Her emotions are conflicted, especially when actually becoming physically intimate with Kosuda.
In the beginning, we're set with a contrast of a popular and very pretty Yamada and the average, boring Kosuda. Through the series, both Yamada and Kosuda grow. Because of each other, they both become more realistic and mature together. While initially just a draw of "pretty, popular girl meets and falls for average, kind boy", over the series Yamada becomes in some ways more average while Kosuda becomes unique and manly.
Overall, I enjoyed the series decently. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the romance and/or high school genres of manga/anime. While not the best story in complexity, its simplicity at times is delightfully deep.