Name: Houkago x Ponytail
Mangaka: Tanaka, Teko
Volumes: 1 (Complete)
Licensed: No
Scanlations: V.01 Ch.06 (Complete)
Scanlator: Dazzling Scans
Type: Manga
Genre: Comedy
Age Group: Teen
Summary: Natsuki, an otaku high-school girl who’d rather spend her money on manga than pretty dresses, accidentally injures a creepy-looking mangaka named Kiritani Taichi. To repay him, she agrees to be his character model until he fully heals. Kiritani turns out to be a popular shoujo mangaka under the name Ichijou Kiriko, who is also Natsuki’s favorite author! Plus, underneath that disheveled hair Kiritani is actually a good-looking man! What will become of these two?
Graphics Rating: 4/5
Plot Rating: 4/5
Opinion: I LOVE the graphics. Not consistent the whole way through, but not to say any of it looks bad. The style just changes a little from beginning to end. In LOVE with the eyes and the way the mangaka drew the assisstant… It reminds me of Kayono! I know there is a ton of controversy around Kayono but she is one of the few artists I have read religiously: AKA everything that she has ever done that is translated… I have read. I may not have reviewed them since I’ve been reading them since the beginning, but I love it. And this mangaka is new so it’s just going to get better from here! I’m so excited for their future projects!
As for the story, I haven’t read something so adorable and comedic since Oresama Teacher. Unlike Oresama Teacher there is WAY more romance and it’s just to adorable to bear. I’m not a Japanese slinging otaku, but holy mother of moe, doki doki. Doki doki describes this series in more ways then I ever could.
It’s hilarious as well, can totally relate to the herione. Pursuit of happiness? More like pursuit of manga. She’s strong in many ways but weak in so many ways that you can relate to as well. Also it’s kinda cute to see the awkward, socially weird guy win one for once. Also can we give this manga an award for breaking away from “Same Hair Syndrome*”?
One thing I do not like is how lightly her abuse of the main guy is taken. She beats the crap out of him and it’s always comedic relief, domestic abuse isn’t funny.
In the end though it was perfect as a 1 shot. Any longer may have been just too much. It ends in such a sweet spot and I have nothing but mad love for the series!
Final Rating: 4/5
Extra: None
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***Same Hair syndrome is the fact that in 90% of manga (Uncited source) the girl will always end up with a guy with the opposite hair colour. AKA: Girl with light hair will end up with guy with dark hair/Girl with dark hair will end up with guy with light hair.
I’m not making this up, I don’t enforce the rules, but it’s a disturbing trend that can help you predict the ending of many a romance manga.