Maybe because I’m a big old geek who married, well, a big geek, but I’m a sucker for stories that pull together two characters who don’t have to hide their passions from each other. While Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku focused on the video game and BL manga world (and cosplay and sports too), Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best is all about idols. Created, written, and illustrated by Mito Aoi, the series is published and localized in English through Kodansha Manga. Rhiannon Liou serves as translator and Michelle Folts on letters, both from animaru.
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In Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best, Akari Tachibana, and her coworker, Onda-san, are friends. Their friendship isn’t built on a foundation of working together, but rather a shared love – read: obsession- with idols. On the outside, Onda-san seems like a typical tsundere. He’s brash, terrible with others (especially women), and nearly all his requests sound like orders. But when he’s talking about his favorite idol Kiwa, he turns into a “blushing maiden,” letting his guard down and opening up.
In Volume 1, the duo gets closer out of the blue when Onda-san confesses to Akari unexpectedly, she’s floored. Akari, who thought that Onda only had Kiwa on his mind, isn’t sure how to react. As she begins to pay attention to how Onda treats her, she decides to open her heart and test it out. The two agree to see if moé can turn to love and if having the same interests is enough.
There is an awkwardness in Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best that makes these twenty-somethings feel more like teenagers. That said, once you get over that hurdle along with the fact that Onda is new to dating despite pushing 30, you can fall into the cozy story.
Overall, Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best Volume 1 is great because of how it investigates gender in relation to idol fandom. It showcases the different things that men and women can get from following and connecting with idols of the same genre, without necessitating romantic feelings. It’s a subtle breakdown of gendered stereotypes and assumptions that leads to a great dynamic between its leads as well.
Additionally, the art in the Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best Volume 1 captures the dreaming quality of idols, their performances, and the merch we all collect and, unlike some other idol-based series, neither of our leads are treated as lesser-than for their love. There is kindness, sweetness, and enough chemistry to keep you moving through the story. In fact, when it comes to adults with healthy relationships with people who support their quirks, Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best finds itself close to the top.
Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best Volume 1 is available now wherever digital comics and books are sold.
Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best Volume 1
TL;DR
There is kindness, sweetness, and enough chemistry to keep you moving through the story. In fact, when it comes to adults with healthy relationships with people who support their quirks, Having an Idol Loving Boyfriend is the Best finds itself close to the top.
