The first chapter of the original Lovely Complex manga.
Summary[]
The chapter starts with Risa Koizumi sleeping while standing and snoring during the summer closing ceremony of her first year of high school as her fellow students try to wake her and teacher screams at her. Introducing herself and her contradictory surname, Koizumi meaning "little spring" instead of Oizumi meaning "big spring."
The scene changes to Risa apologizing to her homeroom teacher, Kiyoji Nakano, for sleeping during the ceremony. He compliments her skill for being able to sleep on her feet, but reprimands her anyway and tells her she must attend summer school. Risa freaks out about having to spend her summer vacation at school and begins to cry. That's when she notices Atsushi Ōtani trying to reach a box on the top shelf of a cabinet and gets it down for him.
Ōtani asks if she's making fun of him, to which Risa replies with a simple "yup." He shoulder checks her out of his way and calls her "jumbo-gal" before handing the box to their teacher. Risa screams at him for calling her a name after she helped him out with the box and Ōtani responds by calling her "behemoth" this time. They're about to brawl in the staff office when Nakano-sensi calls them "All Hanshin-Kyojin", instantly redirecting their frustration to him. They simultaneously ask him to stop calling them that and he tells them to save the bickering "d'amour" (of love) for after school. Risa asks what that means, and without actually answering her question, he asks if the pair is dating which prompts them to scream a simultaneous "NO!"
Risa goes on to explain that the duo is called All Hanshin-Kyojin due to their drastic height differences - Risa being 5'7" and Ōtani being 5'1". Their teacher nicknamed them that after designating them as the class representatives.
As they're walking down the hallway, Ōtani laughs at the thought of them ever dating, why he would ever date someone who makes him look shorter than he already is. Risa reciprocates commenting that she would never date someone shorter than her. Ōtani continues by questioning who would ever want to date a girl that snores and can sleep standing up, and Risa freaks out again because she didn't realize she was snoring, too. "So loud we heard you all the way up front," Ōtani replies, and tells her she is never going to find a boyfriend. Risa again gets frustrated with Ōtani and yells "let-chee about that" (assuming she meant to say "let's see about that" in English and mispronounced it), and apologizes to the reader for having no intention of forming a comedy duo with Ōtani.
Enter Nobuko Ishihara and Chiharu Tanaka to the rescue. Risa apologizes to them for having to wait for her while she apologized to Nakano-sensi. She tells them she has to attend summer school as punishment and Nobu says she does too because she bombed both the mid-term and finals. On the other hand, Chiharu decides to go to classes "just for fun" but she really just doesn't want to be left out. Risa also tells Nobu that Yamada-sensei is angry with her for not wearing her uniform on a ceremony day. Nobu says "it's just too ugly" and doesn't understand why she should have to wear a uniform when Maido Academy is a uniform optional school. Risa looks forward to being away from Ōtani for the summer.
As the girls leave the school, they talk about how the summer classes will be a mixture of all students in their grade and that there might be some cute boys joining them. Chiharu mentions that she thinks Risa and Ōtani would make a good couple which makes Risa even more determined to find a boyfriend and end her life as All Hanshin-Kyojin.
On the first day of summer school, Risa's worst fears are realized when Ōtani enters the classroom. Risa laments over the fact that Ōtani is there, but knows it's because he's an idiot. The entire class erupts in conversation about the rumors of Class 2's All Hanshin-Kyojin and how funny summer school is going to be. When Nakano-sensei enters the class commenting about All Hanshin-Kyojin being together for the summer, the duo screams back that "they aren't here cuz they wanna be!"
Shortly after, Ryoji Suzuki enters the classroom just before attendance is taken and asks to sit behind Risa. Blushing, Risa says she doesn't mind and apologizes for being so tall. Suzuki replies that she isn't too tall, that he can see just fine, and Risa instantly falls for him. Needless to say, Ōtani notices immediately and starts scheming.
During break, Ōtani asks Risa if she'll get food with him at Emo Burger so they can talk. At Emo Burger, Ōtani confronts Risa about her obvious crush on Suzuki and offers to strike her a deal: he'll become friends with Suzuki to set her up with him, and in return, Risa will set Ōtani up with Chiharu. Risa agrees.
The next day, Risa invites Chiharu to join them at the pool on Sunday, along with Nobu, Nakao, and "a couple other friends of (hers)". Meanwhile, Ōtani introduces himself to Suzuki, asks him to be his friend, and invites him to the pool on Sunday as well.
On Sunday, the six friends meet up and make their way to the pool. While walking, Risa informs Ōtani that Chiharu is terrified of guys, pointing out how uncomfortable Chiharu is surrounded by the guys in their grop. But this doesn't deter Ōtani! He proclaims that after getting to know him, Chiharu will never be terrified of him. Ōtani tells Risa that he confirmed Suzuki doesn't have a girlfriend and to go talk to him before he leaves. They wish each other luck and everyone comments about how well they get along.
At the pool, the stage is set, but Risa and Ōtani forget why they're there in the first place. They run off playing and splashing until it dawns on them what they've done. Ōtani smacks Risa on the head and they start arguing with each other. Risa finds Suzuki and asks him to swim with her. Suzuki says yes and proceeds to ask if her and Ōtani are dating, she's screams no.
While in the pool, Risa asks Suzuki why he's in summer classes and proceeds to struggle to make conversation with him. Ōtani hits her in the head with a beach ball and invites them to toss the ball around with him and Chiharu, much to Risa's relief. After giving Risa a bit of friendly encouragement, Risa realizes that Nobu and Nakao disappeared, and Chiharu tells them that they went to the water slide. Risa asks Suzuki to go and he tells her he is scared of things like that, Ōtani does the same only to get the same response from Chiharu. Risa and Ōtani run off to the water slide together leaving a terrified Chiharu with Suzuki.
After a trip on the water slide and running back to their friends, Risa again realizes someone has disappeared but this time it's Suzuki. Chiharu tells her that Suzuki went off on his own as she was heading over to join their everyone. Suzuki reappears with refreshments for everyone. Risa and Suzuki then talk about how the water slide really wasn't that scary and maybe they can go on it together later on. Risa thinks about how things are going really well for her and Suzuki, and, despite her fear of men, Ōtani and Chiharu are getting along well, too.
On their way home, Risa comments that Suzuki and Chiharu live in the same direction and are walking home together. Worried about her friend, Ōtani reassures her that Suzuki is a good guy and he won't hurt Chiharu. Risa and Ōtani walk home talking about their day and how they'll keep it up tomorrow at summer school.
At school the following day, Chiharu comments about how nice Suzuki is and Risa immediately realizes Chiharu has a crush on him even though she denies it. Chiharu continues saying that Suzuki was considerate for walking her all the way home and that he doesn't scare her like other guys do. Nobu comments that she and Ōtani were getting along really well yesterday, too. Chiharu agrees saying Ōtani was easy to talk to because he's short and doesn't think of him as a guy.
Overhearing Chiharu's comment, Ōtani goes into full panic mode telling Risa his name is no longer Ōtani, that it is Kōtani now since he is so short. Risa starts shaking him, telling him to come back to reality. He asks her to tell their teacher that he is going to miss class today and runs off. Risa screams "Kōtani" after him, Nobu corrects her, and she tells them to go ahead to class because she is going to chase "Kōtani" down (Nobu corrects her again).
Risa asks Ōtani if he is okay after catching up to him and he replies that she is supposed to call him Kōtani from now on. This irritates Risa and she punches him, knocking him to the floor. After some obscene language and a pep talk, Ōtani realizes he's overreacting but not before Risa angrily walks off.
On her way back to class, Risa bumps into Suzuki where they talk about why he is habitually late to class. Suzuki thanks Risa for allowing him to come along yesterday and proceeds to ask if he is scary because Chiharu seems scared of him. Risa explains that Chiharu is just scared of men in general and that it isn't him in particular that she's scared of. Suzuki understands because he's not so good at talking with girls, but it's different with Risa because she's so tall that he doesn't really think of her as a girl, much to Risa's dismay.
Suzuki repeats that Chiharu is't scared of him in particular, Risa confirms, and Suzuki instantly turns red. Risa asks Suzuki if he has a crush on Chiharu which he adamantly denies before turning away, turning around and saying it again, then finally walking away.
Risa falls to the ground only for Ōtani to come up behind her calling her Ōizumi. He mocks her for reacting the same way he did, and she apologizes taking it all back. Ōtani punches her in the face and yells "payback time!" He proclaims that he isn't giving up on Chiharu and that Risa shouldn't give up on Suzuki. He repeats what Risa said to him earlier and jokes that those were his grandpa's dying words. Ōtani thanks Risa for being there for him today and they head back to class.
Upon returning to class, they get scolded by Nakano-sensei and tell him they're late because they were working on a new act. Risa sits down in front of Suzuki where he repeats, "I don't." Chiharu comments that Ōtani's face is red and he tells her they were doing slapstick comedy before smiling at Risa.
Characters[]
In Order of Appearance:[]
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| Manga |
| Volumes | 01 · 02 · 03 · 04 · 05 · 06 · 07 · 08 · 09 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · Deluxe |
| Chapters | 01 · 02 · 03 · 04 · 05 · 06 · 07 · 08 · 09 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 12.5 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 16.5 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 20.5 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 · 24.5 · 24.6 · 25 · 25.5 · 26 · 27 · 28 · 29 · 30 · 31 · 32 · 32.5 · 32.6 · 33 · 34 · 35 · 36 · 37 · 38 · 39 · 40 · 41 · 42 · 43 · 44 · 45 · 46 · 47 · 47.5 · 48 · 49 · 50 · 51 · 52 · 53 · 54 · 55 · 56 · 57 · 58 · 59 · 60 · 61 · 62 · 62.5 · 63 · 64 · 65 · 66 · 66.5 |
| Deluxe Chapters | 00 · 01 · 02 · 03 · 04 |