Kimi Ni Todoke Volume 11 cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Sawako Kuronuma has jet black hair, a gloomy attitude, and a sinister smile.  Her classmates call her “Sadako” because she looks strikingly similar to a haunting horror movie character named Sadako.  Sawako may come across as someone frightening to her classmates, but this high school student is really a sweet person.  Shota Kazehaya, the most popular boy in school, starts talking to Sawako and her life changes.

Following the events depicted in the previous volume, Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 11 opens with Sawako and Kazehaya officially a couple.  Now comes to the hard part.  Sawako must confront her rival for Kazehaya’s affections, Kurumi, whom he’s already rejected.  Next, comes their first date as a couple.

THE LOWDOWN:  As I have written in the past, Kimi Ni Todoke is the typical shojo high school romantic drama.  It is certainly full of teen angst and rivalries and also teens dealing with self-confidence and self-loathing.  With this volume, Kimi Ni Todoke takes a turn, at least for now.  Suddenly, this is a story of new love, goofy teen love – not awkward, but goofy.  This gives the series a sweet, sentimental side that it doesn’t usually have, and for now, that’s a good thing.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for shojo romance will like Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me to You.

B+