Mii, Mitsuki. Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up, Vol. 1. Kodansha Comics, 2024. 979-8-888-77271-3. 192 p. $13.99. Grades 7+.

Two high school students who unknowingly switched from their old school to a new school together, trying to escape their nerdy, ugly, and unpopular past with a fresh start. Keisuke Shizuki is trying to outrun his trauma of confessing to his middle school crush and being rejected and the resulting phobia of even talking to girls, but it is made all the harder when the prettiest girl at his new school Shizuka Kusunoki is also a former outcast from his middle school. But Shizuka’s transformation is not complete, her social skills are still lacking and she asks for Keisuke’s help. So he has to fight his fears to help someone in need.

THOUGHTS: A cute high school glow up story that stays fairly light in the first novel, just introducing us to the characters and showing us some surface level insecurities but hinting at deeper story lines. Two outcasts who know of each other from hiding away in the library but never spoke to each other, now are becoming a mentor of sorts for each other, helping to navigate social situations in fun awkward ways. The hints of a budding romance (if only they get over their ineptitudes!) for the two will keep readers anticipating what other social missteps they will make. Art is neat and straightforward for the genre, playing up the nerdiness angle of the middle school versions of themselves. Will be a hit for realistic romance manga readers.

Manga