There are two universal truths in today’s rapidly changing comics industry. The first, is that Valentine’s Day is around the corner. The second is that more people are reading manga and Webtoons (aka vertical scroll comics) than ever before. Therefore, we at Comics Beat have begun our Beat’s Bizarre Romance. Every week, we’ll have three writers recommend some of their favorite comic romances from Japan, Korea and elsewhere. This week we have a heartfelt memoir, a train romance, and, of course, body swapping.
The Girl That Can’t Get a Girlfriend
Writer/Artist: Mieri Hiranishi
Lettering: Joanna Estep
Cover & Interior Design: Jimmy Presler
Editors: Julia Patrick, Mayuko Hirao
Publisher: VIZ
The quest for love is never an easy one. That quest becomes even more complicated when you’ve never been in a relationship, you’re navigating dating in the 21st century, and you’re a nerdy lesbian woman of color.
The Girl That Can’t Get a Girlfriend documents the author Mieri Hiranshi’s quest to find love. She realizes very early (thanks to the power of anime) that she isn’t straight. details, thanks to the power of anime, realizing very quickly that she isn’t straight. Readers then meet her first crush, an almost impossibly perfect pre-med student. But most of the book chronicles Hiranishi’s first serious relationship with Ash. It lasts little more than a month but truly changes her life.
I was struck by Hiranishi’s emotional honesty and maturity looking back on this relationship. She and her partner go through the five stages of grief as they accept its ending, but recognize the personal growth that comes with that acceptance.
Hiranishi’s struggles are sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes gratifying. Most importantly though, they are very funny. Hiranishi utilizes familiar visual tropes from shojo manga like sparkles, androgynous women and patterned screen tones to show her exploration of a more femme look as well as various interpretations of her chin. All of her various crushes and interests are surrounded by flowers when they first appear.
The final ten pages of this book, where she comes to even deeper personal revelations, are as profound as they are hilarious. The quest for love might not be an easy one. But you have to laugh at what happens along the way. — D. Morris
Maiden Railways
Writer/Artist: Asumiko Nakamura
Translator: Jocelyne Allen
Production: Nicole Dochych
Publisher: Denpa
There are those who love trains and those who love romance. What if I told you that you could have both? Asumiko Nakamura’s Maiden Railways is a collection of short stories with Japan’s railway network as the guiding motif. Romantic entanglements are resolved not just through interpersonal decisions but through the design of the railway itself: the length of time it takes to transfer from one line or another, for instance, or the specific model and timetable of train required to catch up with a vanished loved one.
Nakamura’s noodle-limbed designs and flowing hair remind me of CLAMP. But her characters move across the page with a vibrancy that is uniquely hers. I love every time somebody in her comics gets fed up and sits down crossing their legs. Just as fun is when they slug somebody in the face and you can see their whole body bent into the punch. Nakamura draws both beautiful women and handsome men (as well as handsome women and beautiful men) but she’s happy to warp those designs if it serves the story.
I also appreciate the variety of romance tales on display in Maiden Railways. Nakamura’s fluffy high school romances often have a complicating factor, like a missed connection or a failed former confession. Her stories cover both straight and gay relationships, and freely mix folks from different age ranges and backgrounds. There’s even a ruthless tragedy hidden in this book for true drama fiends. While straightforward romance has its own appeal, I’ve read enough of it that I’m happy to see some range here.
If you’re a fan of Asumiko Nakamura’s excellent series Classmates: Dou Kyu Sei, you may be left wanting by the lack of boys’ love stories in this collection. For a Nakamura starter I would recommend either that comic or her mystery Utsubora. Otherwise, if you’re looking for variety and/or are a fan of public transportation, there’s plenty to enjoy riding the Maiden Railways and its dedicated Romance Car. Don’t skip the afterword either; it’s refreshing to learn that Nakamura really does love trains that much! — Adam Wescott
Hope You’re Happy, Lemon
Writer/Artist: Mizuki Kishikawa
Translation: Mei Amaki (Mugen Creations)
Editing: Mei Amaki (chs 1-24) Victoria Esnard (chs 25+)
Lettering: Anton C. (ch 1) Joshua Baldwin (chs 2-7, 9) Marcos Vinicius (chs 8, 10+)
Platform: MANGA Plus
“I hate you, but I love you. I can’t stop thinking of you…It’s true, I am stuck on you.”
As Stacy Orrico’s once popular song goes, we can be stuck on our past relationships—just like our male lead, Sunao. Trying to move forward from past heartbreak, he hopes to start fresh with someone new. But an unexpected run-in with his ex-girlfriend, who once betrayed him, is enough to send his emotions spiraling. Just when he thinks things couldn’t get worse, he wakes up in her body. Jeez, wow—literally a “stuck on you” situation!
Shojo manga lovers, get ready for a fun ride with Hope You’re Happy, Lemon (Kuso Onna ni Sachiare), an engaging romantic drama that blends body-swapping chaos with tangled emotions. Written and illustrated by Mizuki Kishikawa, this fresh and lively series first debuted on Shueisha’s Shōnen Jump+ in October 2023 and has quickly gained traction. English readers can enjoy it on MANGA Plus, and with Seven Seas Entertainment licensing the series for an October 2025 print release, it’s clear this one has buzz!
Sunao Akiyoshi, our main protagonist, has been haunted by his past relationship with childhood friend Lemon Nishikawa. In junior high, Lemon confessed that she had cheated on him with three different men before abruptly breaking things off. Since then, Sunao has struggled to move forward but is now a university student hoping to start fresh with Natsumi Kogahara, a fellow film club member.
Just when things are going well, fate throws a wrench in his plans—after an unexpected encounter with Lemon, he wakes up in her body, while she is now trapped in his. To make matters even more complicated, Sunao discovers that Lemon is attending an elite university and, to his horror, is roommates and best friends with Kogahara! As they continue to swap bodies at random, both must navigate this bizarre predicament while keeping their secret safe. With lingering feelings, misunderstandings, and emotional baggage at play, Hope You’re Happy, Lemon takes the classic love triangle trope and flips it on its head.
Visually, the manga is an absolute treat. The art style is cute with adorable, chibi-like expressions that perfectly contrast the tension-filled romance. The panel layouts make it easy to follow the fast-paced story while still delivering impactful emotional beats. Lettering adds to the playfulness, making the dialogue flow naturally and humorously.
Hope You’re Happy, Lemon might sound like a typical romance drama with body-swapping antics, but it’s much more than that. The series plays with emotional tension brilliantly, keeping readers on edge as Sunao struggles to balance his growing feelings for Kogahara while being physically stuck in his ex’s body. Meanwhile, Lemon’s real motives and the past slowly unravel, adding layers of complexity to her character.
Hope You’re Happy, Lemon is a classic shojo series with a fresh twist that fans of Lovely Complex will love. Whether you’re here for the humor, the romance, or the beautifully fun storytelling, this comic is sure to keep you hooked. Get ready to ride the rollercoaster of emotions—because once you start, you’ll be stuck on it too! — Ilgın Side Soysal
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