It's been so many years since I've started this manga, and since then, I've read it at least four times, and when a wave of nostalgia hit me 2 months ago, I decided to read it again - realizing that about a hundred chapters were released since I last picked it up.

This manga is everything. I've started it as a teen, and even as a 23 year old young adult, I can still appreciate it. Here are some of my thoughts based on my most recent read.

Story:

Honestly, if nothing else, story is the main pont of this one hell of a rollercoaster ride. Even when you think they cannot possibly think of something new, the mangaka introduces a new storyline, a new movie to shoot, a new struggle for the characters to overcome, a new setting... anything to make it interesting, and even after 276 chapters, it works! (surprisingly enough)

Characters:

Each character is unique, and you are guaranteed to fall in love with all of them. There are no cliché characters here: even if they seem like that, by the 3rd chapter they appear in, they will be fleshed out characters that you will hope to read more about.

The main character, Kyoko, is the best shoujo - nevermind that, the BEST - character I've ever seen in any manga (and even some books). While she goes through serious character development, she always stays true to who she is, using her past experiences to move forward and become a woman that she herself can be proud of.

Art:

The art has improved a lot since the very beginning, and it has seen a big - and quite controversial - change in the recent chapters. For long-time fans of the manga, it might be weird at first, but it's definitely more fresh and modern now, although I still love the initial style too.

Conclusion:

I could write for eons about the sheer awesomeness of this manga, but let me just say this: whatever you like about a shoujo manga (be it the sappy romance, the love triangles, the slow development, the excitement, ANYTHING), you will surely find something (if not everything) to love in this one. I strongly suggest you give it a chance, because it will be one hell of a ride, but on you will not want to get out of.