Izuki-kun wa Tadasaretai

My feelings are mixed with this series. I had fun with it in moments, but the conclusion was unsatisfying--especially since the author says it was intended--and there are other series that do this premise better. Itsuki is the precious boy made idiot by his first love. He is determined to do anything for his love, including acting like a playboy delinquent, but his nerves always stops him from taking the final steps needed to satisfy his love for Ririko. Ririko is the discipline committee done well. While she is a stickler for the rules, she is not a complete stick in the mud, and that oneaspect of her doesn't define her entire personality. Ririko is completely blind to Itsuki's feelings. That's where my favorite characters come in: his best friend, Kaede, and the love interest's best friend, Mao. Kaede is the protective and kind friend that can't help but come off as mean. This works well with Mao, the playful yet caring friend that wants to set the two main characters up. None of the characters are new or fresh, but they are done well. The story is both enjoyable and underwhelming. Person falls in love with disciple committee head and acts out to get their attention, a premise done before and better. It was odd that this series even seems to reference Yankee-kun to Megane-chan in Ch. 7, a more famous version of this story. While the moment-to-moment writing is enjoyable, the conclusion comes quickly and brings with it a dissatisfaction that poisons the entire experience. It was so strong a feeling that I initially gave it a lower score in the moment. The tropes and plot is fun, but it lacks any real uniqueness. 7/10 I can't full-heartedly recommend it, as there are other manga that did this better and with a more satisfying and conclusive ending. I do think that if the characters and art pull you in, then it isn't bad to read.. Just prepare to not care for the ending beforehand.