- Status: Completed
- Platform: Kodansha Comics
- Volumes: 12
- Genre: Shoujo Manga
- Creators: Fujimomo
- Release year: 2015
- tropes: popular guy falls for unpopular girl
Is Lovesick Ellie worth reading? Short review
Lovesick Ellie is a really fun and fluffy read with almost no Drama – at least nothing gets dragged out for too long. So if you are searching for a lighthearted Romance-Manga with many cute moments I would recommend you start reading right away. Basically Lovesick Ellie is about the relationship between Eriko and Ohmi and how Eriko constantly thinks about „climbing the ladder to adulthood“ as she puts it. So embrace the cringe, have a laugh, and relax to this awesome lighthearted Shoujo-Manga.
If you want a more in-depth review with minor spoilers you can keep reading!
artstyle: very good expressions and clean lines
The art by Taegeon is absolutely gorgeous. She captures expressions and perspectives incredibly well, making the manhwa a real joy to look at.
romance: fast development but satisfying
Although their relationship goes from 0 to 100 real quick, it still doesn’t feel forced in my opinion. In every chapter, you get a cute and awkward interaction between them and if it’s not in „real life“, at least Ellie always delivers with her fantasies. Their interactions are really fun to read and Ellie keeps lusting after Ohmi throughout the Manga.
characters: godlike
The side characters are not the strong suit of this Shoujo Manga but they are entertaining. The way Sara is introduced is pretty nice: First, the author makes you think that she is superficial and only approaches Ellie to get closer to Ohmi – that’s not the case though. BUT, I find her way of interacting with Reo (Sara’s childhood friend) a bit too much. I know, that’s how a Tsundere is – but still. Poor Reo does everything for her, he even changed his style to appear as a delinquent to protect her. Thankfully she also gets some character development and is more honest to herself later on.
Kaname-Kun is introduced as the love-rival in volume 4 and tries to get closer to Eriko. He is socially awkward and says what’s on his mind and is the number one follower of Ellies Social Media Account. After he finds out that Eriko is Lovesick Ellie he approaches her and wants to be friends, although he develops feelings pretty quickly.
Personally, I like his awkwardness and how he really tries to better himself to understand others – that’s why I find it sad, that he gets kind of tossed aside as the story goes on. Thankfully he gets a Bonus chapter in Volume 12.
protagonists: slow but satisfying
Ichimura Eriko is an unpopular girl who loves to fantasize – mostly about one boy. His name is Akira Ohmi, and thanks to his polite and kind personality, he is extremely popular at their school. Using her alter ego, she repeatedly tweets about him and their non-existent relationship. However, it turns out that Ohmi isn’t as kind as everyone thinks and can be quite a brat.
Eriko on the other hand constantly puts herself down with thoughts like “someone like me” or “I’m invisible,” and believes she can’t fit in with the “normal” girls at her school. Through her alter ego, Ellie, she has found an outlet for her jumbled thoughts and suppressed personality, which I find really refreshing.
Lovesick Ellie: How they first meet and the premise
Although Ohmi is very popular, he has a secret: in reality, he is “rude” (by Japanese standards, I guess), speaks in a rough manner, and has an arrogant attitude. He is also not honest about his feelings at all. In the first few panels, shoujo-magic happens: Eriko “walks in” on a conversation between Ohmi and a teacher (who is also his uncle) when the door suddenly gives way while she’s eavesdropping, causing her to fall into the room. That’s how she discovers his true personality.
After that little fiasco, she tries to run away, but of course her phone falls out of her pocket. Ohmi chases after her to return it, and when he picks it up, he sees Eriko’s latest tweet. As you can probably guess, he tells “pervy Ellie” to keep his true personality a secret in exchange for him keeping hers. Their shared secret becomes the basis for many funny and awkward situations, and it also brings them closer together over time.
Ohmi x Eriko in Lovesick Ellie
Everyone should be able to express themselves – whether in real life or online, especially if they don’t have the courage to be fully open within their social circle. Ohmi, although on a completely different level, struggles with something similar. He feels the need to present himself as the perfect boy – always smiling and never truly saying what’s on his mind.
Both characters go through significant development throughout the manga. They gradually learn to accept themselves for who they are and begin to open up to others without constantly fearing judgment. At first, they believe that no one understands their struggles, but over time, they realize that this isn’t true. As the story progresses, they give each other confidence and support, helping one another grow.
Read if you…
- love when the FL is the assertive one, not the ML
- are in the mood for some lighthearted highschool romance
- love to see more of the relationship. The manga doesn’t end when they get together – far from it.
- love it when they get closer because they discovered each other’s secrets
Skip if you…
- don’t like when high school romances are focused on “climbing the ladder to adulthood” as Eriko calls it
- hate when the ML is mean only to the FL
- don’t like second MLs or other love interests that feel forced
#PervyGirl Meets Two-Faced Boy At her high school, she’s Eriko Ichimura, the girl so boring no one remembers she exists. But online, she’s “Lovesick Ellie,” a brash and lusty alternate persona with quite a viral following! Ellie’s favorite pastime? Spying on her handsome and perfect classmate Ohmi and spinning wild fantasies in the form of very thirsty tweets. But one day, quite by accident, Eriko learns that Ohmi isn’t as perfect as she thought…and he discovers her secret to boot! What’s ahead for this two-faced boy and pervy girl?