Shojo Goodness & Shojo Drama: ‘Love Me, Love Me Not’ Vol. 1 Review

Viz’s imprint Shojo Beat has a new hitter at bat: another series by mangaka Io Sakisaka, who is also responsible for such fan favorites as Strobe Edge and Ao Haru Ride. She’s had success in the shoujo manga industry — Ao Haru Ride has an anime adaptation and a live-action drama film adaptation along with being translated in English. Io Sakisaka writes stories about youth who are complicated and learning about each other, themselves, and the world. When I heard about Love Me, Love Me Not I knew I wanted to figure out the strange dynamic between our four friends — two girls and two guys. I knew I wanted to read more about seeing the world and love through rose-colored glasses focusing in on the friendship of two teenaged girls and all the drama and goodness that comes out of it. Look, it’s springtime. I can feel the shojo sparkles and flower petals dancing in the wind! Out With The Old, In With The New The series opens to a rather reflective and poetic set of pages: “If only there was a way for everyone to be happy…” and while this manga’s very much shojo, this is an overarching theme. Even in life, if we’re being honest, nobody seeks out being hurt, do they? We all go through so many transitions and changes in life: from relationships, romantic and not, to parents. Lovers split. Friendships fall apart. Co-workers leave for new jobs. Neighbors and roommates move away. Our lives are always changing and moving in ways that we can’t always predict nor have power to stand again…