A Refreshing and Soft Love Story: Hibi Chouchou

Synopsis

Suiren for most of her life has been considered as a beautiful and delicate flower and is admired by all, especially upon entering high school. Her quiet demeanour only adds to her charm for the many males of the school, all except one that is. This is the love story between a shy girl and a shy boy, both whom are unsure of how to speak to the opposite gender.
The Good

So many times, has shoujo series take on tales where either both leads are explosive towards one another before ending up together or one of them takes on an aggressive pursuit that leaves the other flustered or most often, the girl shyly tries to approach the aloof male. This series takes none of these scenarios and takes on a softer love story that is almost never seen before. Where the two’s feelings don’t come as a sudden epiphany but rather a simple realization.

With this series, it is the actions that speak louder than words, in fact, speaking to the opposite gender is one of the main issues that both leads have throughout the series. Truly the story between the two would tug at any romantic’s heart even if there are some cliché moments, it works well with the series.

The Bad

As stated there are old clichés that can be found throughout the series, the confident female rival, the beach chapter, the festival chapter, it can all be found in the series. With such a refreshing take on the romance, it would have been nice to also have a refreshing take on the scenarios that would bring the two closer together as well.

Then there is also the development of the characters, yes, there is a growth in both of them, but at the same time the dynamics of their characters are not all that great either. With how interesting the interactions of the characters and their friends are, a little shift for the leads would also be interesting.

Conclusion

From my personal opinion, this is one of the top shoujo works that I have ever read. Every chapter leaves you wanting more and the art is truly a soft and tasteful piece to read. Yes, there are cliché moments and used troupes, but the series makes it work for the characters. The characters as well are truly endearing to read and you can’t help but want to cheer for the two when they take steps in their relationship. Overall this a truly fluffy work that brings a fresh look on a developing romance.

Rating: 9/10