Absolute Boyfriend, Vol. 1 by Yuu Watase
Series Name: Absolute Boyfriend
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-fi
Intended Age Group: Older Teen
Publisher: Viz/Shojo Beat
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-4215-0016-4
Rating: 5/5
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Description from the Book
Rejected way too many times by good-looking (and unattainable) guys, shy Riiko Izawa goes online and signs up for a free trial of a mysterious Nightly Lover “figure.” The very next day, a cute naked guy is delivered to her door, and he wants to be her boyfriend!
Has Riiko died and gone to heaven? The cute guy turns out to be sweet, smart, a great cook, and lots more. And he looks like a million bucks, which is what he’s going to cost Riiko if she doesn’t return him in time…
Personal & Info
I don’t remember which grade I was in at the time, but this is a manga I read in school with friends. I think it was early high school. One of my friends found this series and shared it with our group. We all loved it, and some of us bought copies for our own collections. I haven’t read it since then, so this is a reread after many years.
There’s something people should know about this particular mangaka, though. I’ve read a few different series by Yuu Watase, so I feel like I should warn people. She likes to punch you in the heart with her stories.
As an older manga, this series has author notes in the margins. I feel like I never see those in modern manga anymore. It’s nostalgic, and I miss getting more insight into the creation and story of the series.
Characters
Riiko Izawa is the main character. She is a bit of a slob, and considered flat chested. Her parents are working abroad, so she currently lives alone.
Soshi Asamoto is Riiko’s next door neighbor and childhood friend. They have known each other since they were little kids.
Masaki seems to be Soshi’s brother, but they don’t outright specify.
Ishizeki is a boy from school Riiko has a crush on during the beginning of the story. He appears throughout the volume.
Mika is Riiko’s friend from school.
Gaku Namikiri is an eccentric business salesman who seems to neglect sharing the most important information until after it’s too late.
Night Tenjo is an artificially intelligent prototype boyfriend “figure.” He is supposed to be the perfect boyfriend in every way, based on the features the customer chooses. His height and weight are on the back cover of the book.
Story & Thoughts
Initially when I read this the first time, I gave it five stars. At that time, I was around target age group for the series. It made me laugh constantly, and I absolutely loved it.
Now, several years later, rereading it again for the first time since then, I still like it a lot. It doesn’t make me laugh as much as the first time because I have a good memory, so it’s not like the humor is hitting for the first time. The laughs may not be as obviously out loud, but the story still makes me smile, and that’s pretty great. Based on that, I think it holds up well.
There’s a love triangle, as there usually is in almost any series popular in the 2000s. Night is the obvious love interest. The other is Soshi. He obviously likes Riiko, and his brother seems to know he does. Riiko is oblivious to his feelings so far, but she notices some unexpected reactions to being around him that hint she likes him, too.
I think Night is exactly what Riiko needs at this point in her life. Not the stress of the price tag, but the support he gives. She could probably get the same from Soshi, but based on their current relationship, they would have to progress a lot to get comfortable enough. Night doesn’t have an awkward crush phase to get passed. He is already 100% devoted to Riiko, even if she is unsure about him herself.
I love the art. Yuu Watase draws in an easily identifiable style that is cute and pleasant to look at. The chibi and exaggerated reaction images all look great, too.
This is a romantic comedy I highly recommend to anyone interested in the genre.