Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up Vol. 01

Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up Vol. 01

Two ex-ugly ducklings struggle towards swandom in this cute and funny rom-com manga from the editorial team that brought you Life Lessons With Uramichi Oniisan. Two strivers debut their “new yous,” but will their dread–or feelings for each other–drag them back down?! Perfect for fans of Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible and True Beauty.

Keisuke Shizuki might have been an outcast in middle school, but not anymore. The trauma of being rejected by his first crush left Shizuki with a phobia of pretty girls and the drive to remake himself and start high school fresh: new looks, new friends, new confidence. That is, as long as he avoids the cuties and anyone who knows anything about his past.

Unfortunately for him, the prettiest girl at his new school just happens to be his former middle school classmate and another ex-outcast, Shizuka Kusunoki. Unlike Shizuki, Kusunoki still lacks the social skills to make the most of her new appearance–and she wants Shizuki’s help. But helping Kusunoki will mean spending a lot of time around a beauty, and drawing some not-so-welcome attention…

Series Overview: Keisuke Shizuki and Shizuka Kusunoki are taking high school by storm with their good looks, but they share a dark secret: They were both total outcasts in middle school! While Keisuke might have succeeded in making himself over inside and out, Kusunoki is still struggling to develop the social skills to match her new appearance. She’s eager for Shizuki’s help! If only he could get over his phobia of pretty girls…

Biographical Notes:

Mitsuki Mii is a comics artist whose work became popular on the Japanese image sharing site Pixiv. Their first manga published in English is Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up, from Kodansha.

Title Notes:

For ages 13 and up.

With a trendy, modern look and a story that shows how both the male and female leads stumble through their high school experience, this series is sure to be a crossover hit, appealing to shojo fans and readers of male-oriented romcoms alike–much like Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity or My Dress-Up Darling.

The underdog protagonist duo, mean girl cliques, and high school hierarchy-induced drama, make this the perfect series for fans of humorous yet classic teen dramas like True Beauty.