Favorite Manga #13: Kare Kano

Synopsis: 
Yukino strives had to be the best in her class and wants everyone to see her as perfect, but when her greatest rival finds out her secret, she turns over a new leaf and allows others to see her faults.  Along the way, she makes new friends and her rival becomes her love interest, but does their love stand a chance against he pains of his past and the trials of high school.

Review:

Characters:

Yukino Miyazawa: While she never quite looses her desire to be the best, she stops hiding behind a perfect demeanor, which does make her more likeable. As she falls in love with Arima she even shows a truly selfless side as she tries to be there for him when he needs her.  

Arima Souichirou: A good guy, he was adopted by his aunt and uncle as a child and is is still troubled by the mistakes of his real parents.  The problems that this causes him greatly affect his relationships and his feelings about himself.  At times he can be a bit moody and frustrating, because he just can't see that he's a good guy (because he really is).





Plot:
It's a great story of a high school life and love, following them through their relationships, not just with each other but their friends as well.  You really get to know and like the whole group and the ending (which takes place ~16 years later) gives you an insight into all of them.  There are 3 or 4 volumes in the middle of the series that focus on one of their friends and her relationship with her new step brother, and while this could have been a huge detractor from the series, they are actually some of my favorite.
  
Art:

 The artwork in this series starts out a bit rough, but it gets better as the series progresses.  It's still not the best art work, but its pretty good.  I'd give it a 4 out of 5, looking at how it progressed.