Alright, here's the deal. I've been reading Buddy Go! for a while now and it isn't anywhere near finishing (I think). So when I came across this manga that has a little bit of the same premise with the whole gender-bender and idol theme going on, I thought this would quench a little bit of my impatience with the other manga. Not to say that I can't be patient and wait, it's just I really want to know what's gonna go down in that one.
{Spoilers, but it's shoujo so you kinda already know}
Ichigo Channel follows this girl named Ichiko and her brother Ken into the world of idols. Ken has always dreamed of being a star and when given the chance to actualize his dreams, he jumps on it. There's a catch though. In order to debut as an idol, he has to debut with Ichiko and this other already-famous guy Kanzaki in an all-boy group. Thus, Ichiko is forced for Ken's sake to debut as a boy Ichigou in the all-boy group. Things get a little more difficult, as they tend to do in gender-bender/hidden identity plots, when Kanzaki takes an interest in Ichiko's alternate self Ichigo. Now Ichiko is caught in a web of lies that gets more and more complex as she can't reveal that she was a girl during their idol contract. Don't even get me started on when she starts to fall in love with Kanzaki and the idol contract ends. It was an absolute mess, but a great mess if you're into pretty messy dramas. *pours tea*
As far as shoujo manga goes, I've definitely seen better ones in terms of how natural and believable a relationship is. Let's start off with the more ridiculous one, shall we? The random one-sided love that Tendo had for Ichiko. Like, when did that even start? I have no recollection of sparks flying actually ever. Was it when she took refuge in his apartment after her mother acted unfairly? Was it their first meeting? I felt like that romance was unnecessary and took away from the plot. Sure, maybe if I were a 13 year old girl that might fly and might quench my thirst for a love triangle. But looking at it now, it's just a little bizarre for this 10 year age gap between them and some chance encounter that led to Tendo's heart afluttering. Maybe this is a model of real life and how messy and random it can be, but honestly it felt unnecessary. Next on the list is Kanzaki and Ichiko's relationship. I would say as far as relationships go, on Kanzaki's side it's a little superficial. He bumps into her during a shoot and likes how mysterious she is and she's pretty cute. That's all it takes for him to fall in love. Okay, maybe that's a little harsh because it could have been love at first sight, it just seems a little rushed again. On the other hand is Ichiko and her falling in love with Kanzaki because he's such a hard worker and really kind even when she's Ichigou and seemingly holds back the boy group from becoming wildly successful. This side makes more sense. And I understand that there has to be a "chase" in order to make it more popular and dramatic and create a sense of doki-doki for young girls out there. However, it just felt a little bit over the top for me and kind of unnecessary with how much back and forth there was between the two of them with "I'm sorry I can't be with you" but "I can't stop loving you" and an endless stream of this at that.
All of this is to say that although I read lots and lots of shoujo, maybe I'm growing out of it. I'm definitely not the target demographic in terms of age, although I am in terms of realistic love experience. So if my review comes off as a bit harsh, just know that it's not out of a place of ill intent, but rather of someone that just refuses to transition fully from shoujo to josei.
Would I recommend this to a friend? Perhaps if you're like me and looking for something along the same premise as Buddy Go!. That would be a good way to quell your desires for that kind of thing. And as far as stories with the same premise, this was pretty well executed, albeit a bit dramatic for my tastes.
All of this is to say that although I read lots and lots of shoujo, maybe I'm growing out of it. I'm definitely not the target demographic in terms of age, although I am in terms of realistic love experience. So if my review comes off as a bit harsh, just know that it's not out of a place of ill intent, but rather of someone that just refuses to transition fully from shoujo to josei.
Would I recommend this to a friend? Perhaps if you're like me and looking for something along the same premise as Buddy Go!. That would be a good way to quell your desires for that kind of thing. And as far as stories with the same premise, this was pretty well executed, albeit a bit dramatic for my tastes.
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