Kimi ni Todoke was one of the first shoujo manga series that I read when I first gained a strong passion for anime and manga. So I couldn't really hold such a strong opinion of it when reading, or watching it.

However, coming back to it now, and going over it once again, I never got to see just how amazing this series really is.



Story: 8

I won't say it is a perfect story. However, I haven't really seen anything like it through my years of reading manga and watching anime. A girl known for being creepy when it comes to her appearance and behavior, is suddenly thrown into situations beyond her ability, at first. Making friends, beginning conversations, people thanking her instead of apologizing and running off... all because of the popular boy in class, Kazehaya.
It shows realistic emotions, realistic love.... it isn't super flashy, or way out there in terms of the story. It's slow, yes, but it is a bit of a breath of fresh air compared to fast paced, in your face shoujo manga.



Art: 10

The art style for Kimi ni Todoke was, and still is to this very day, my favorite art style. It is easier for the eyes to look at, and it isn't so exaggerated and huge. Most shoujo manga have girls with large eyes and unrealistic expressions. Kimi ni Todoke is more soft, with real expressions. I don't have anything negative to say about it, really.



Characters: 9

Like the story, I won't sit here and say that the characters were absolutely perfect. But they were well done. Character development was nice and slow, at a proper pace. They weren't all indecisive and useless, they all had their own ways of figuring things out, and knew what they wanted to do.



Enjoyment: 10

I never not enjoyed reading the manga, or watching the anime. I always had a smile on my face, and I always got so excited seeing Kazehaya and Sawako together. The reactions they had for one another was so real, so authentic, it felt like someone could experience the same emotions shown throughout the series.



Overall: 9

I highly recommend this series. It is simple, and easy to look at. It is romance between two unlikely people, going through the struggles of self acceptance, high school, and enjoying the company of Maru-chan.