Cousin is one of those stories which grab you from the start and almost forces you to continue reading. It's a perfect balance between the serious stuff that makes you think about life and the stuff that just makes you giggle awkwardly in the middle of the night. With just 18 chapters out, it's not surprising, but nonetheless a pity that it's not more popular!

Story (10).

Tsubomi is an overweight 18 year-old late bloomer who has never had a boyfriend, let alone any confidence whatsoever.

After graduating high school she's working part-time at a rental video store. On her first week she bumps into an older random dude, who later turns out to be her love interest.

That same day, her co-worker, Shiro, comments on how she looks like Noni, a famous idol, to which Bon-chan reveals she's actually her cousin!

Due to her cousin's recent rise in showbiz, and her friend's increasing popularity, Bon-chan resolves to lose weight.

Art (10).

I'm surprised I'm giving the art a ten, because quite frankly - it's nowhere near the complexity of Samura-sama (Blade of the Immortal, anyone?). But the beauty lies in the charming style of Ikuemi-sensei. Her characters are fresh and clean, yet have that original sort of look about them. You become whole-heartedly emotionally attached and affected by this art, which is the highest praise any art, in my opinon, can get.

Characters (9).

The characters are what I like to call manga-realistic. It's not easy to make interesting and at the same time realistic, "true" characters - and so they're a mix of both. But the greatest thing about them is that you feel as if you know them and still want to know more after just a few chapters. And what's best is that character development exists, in a good way.

Enjoyment (10).

The enjoyment was great. I'm still hunting after raws this very moment. It's too bad the scanlating group, J-Sis, seems to have dropped this superb manga.

Overall (10).

I like the fact that in this manga, Tsubomi actually has weight issues, unlike other stories where "fat" girls go on diets to make themselves look even smaller than they already are (eek, I do smell anorexia becoming bigger in Japan...).

As for someone like me, who's never been overweight in my whole life, it was surprisingly easy to relate to Bon-chans struggles. Because, let's face it: even though the majority of us aren't overweight, we're constantly being pressured by society into differents perspectives of what it's like to be feminine (and I can't deny I've felt a need to ditch that last cookie, in hopes of losing a few kilos).

Bon-chan counters these perspectives by, well... actually following some of them. And it turns out she feels better by doing it.

Even though part of the reason behind her decision is society's current view on beauty, she doesn't give up. And the transformation is quite stunning, though she's still the same old Bon-chan.

Of course I cannot review the whole series as I've just read 18 chapters, but if you're interested in shoujo, heck any sort of manga with a strong female lead, you should read this.

Oh, a bit of warning though: don't go on the diet recommended in this manga. It's truthfully absurd ;)