Normally I don't review anything that i haven't completed, but I will make this as an exception because I really like it. I think it has a lower score than it deserves and I don't want anyone missing out on this manga because it's really good.

Haruka 17 is about a college student who can't get a job so she lowers her standards and applies for a manager job at s shady looking talent agency. As it turns out, she accidentally auditions as a talent and is forced to work as a talent pretending to be 17 years old.

From the premise, it doesn't sound all that unique. There's plenty of mangas about show business. This manga focuses more on the business side of showbiz. The main things that happen are Haruka going to shoots, and learning to become and idol both emotionally and professionally. But what really makes Haruka 17 different is the more adult tone it has about everything. The main character is 22 and almost finished university, not some teenageer. The characters are not portrayed as perfect and wacky,but with faults. Applies to all parts of the manga and set this apart from other generic shoujo/showbiz mangas.

The most obvious way this is showed is through the art. I think this is also why the score for manga is so low. Instead of super cutesy and super tall people, it's more griddy and realistic, and at first it may look ugly to you. I did to me. At one part they mention how cute the main character looks and I thought "really? This is cute? Well... okay, if you say so." But as time went on, it started to look better. I'm not sure if it's because the art style changed or because I started to get used to it, but it stopped bothering me and I actually started liking it.

Overall I found it very enjoyable. At first I was considering dropping it and thinking poorly of the manga, but 10 or so chapters in I found myself very interested in the story and wanting to see what happens next. None of the characters are annoying or whiny. Overall I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a manga about showbiz. Don't drop it immediately and give it a good chance and I'm sure you'll come to love this manga once the story really gets going.