This may be the best manga I've ever read, and it's really a shame that more people have not read this. I've been putting off writing this review for a while, but I really need to be able to say something more substantial than "oh it's an amazing series you should read it because (insert generic reasons)." Since this is a recommendation to read this series rather than reminiscing about how good this series was, spoilers will be minimal (though I recommend you don't read this review, or any review, and just knock the whole thing out first).

The characters in this series are oddly human, despite the how exaggerated the behavior of Yugami might seem at first. You will sympathize with, laugh at, be disgusted by, and wish the best for all of these characters. Nobody here is perfect; from the insensitivity and self-absorption of the titular Yugami, to the lengths that Chihiro goes to please people and the crude, egotistical behavior of Momose, each character has enough flaws that would normally make you at least annoyed by them. But this manga does the opposite; because each character is flawed and imperfect, it makes the times when they shine all the better. And the wonderful thing is that these "flaws" are not seen as bad things to be fixed; they are part of who the characters are and why they are so charming. Yugami's way of doing whatever he wants ends up making him a curious and unburdened character with astonishing personal growth, and Chihiro's social position makes her uniquely suited to give Yugami some space to be understood and defuse conflicts.

The characters and their relations are dynamic. Too often in a slice of life a character will do something in chapter 100 that she would have done in chapter 1, which ends up failing because static characters are only compelling if they are contrasted with a dynamic world. But in Yugami-kun we see the progression of Yugami and Chihiro's odd friendship, how their interactions cause both of them to grow as people, and how stubbornly clinging to outdated ideals or notions can prevent people from moving forwards. The litmus test for character development is if a character would be willing to do something he did near the end of the story in the beginning, and the answer is a resounding yes. Since the actions the characters take are grounded in the story and consistent with who they are, the moments that they step up are heartwarming and believable, not frustrating or confusing.

Not all conflicts are resolved with people learning lessons or becoming a better person. Sometimes, the winds of fate favor the selfish, the egocentric, and the obsessed. "Virtues" such as honesty, reading the mood, and obedience to parents are not beat into people's heads, as is often the case with even some more nuanced works; instead, this manga masterfully portrays that sometimes the easy way out is really that: the easiest way to resolve a situation, despite the negative effects that it may have on other people. In reality people are often lazy or tired, and don't have or want to spend the energy to deal with other people. Sometimes this sort of behavior has resounding consequences, but often times it just gives the overall situation a little nudge; these subtle nudges are, in the end, why people really change, and how human relations develop and sour over time.

Yugami-kun is a subtle and deeply psychological manga, but the events are simple and relatable enough to make this a quite easy read. And while I'm usually skeptical of people saying that a work of fiction is life-changing, the little nudge in perspective that this manga offers is, as the story of the growth of our lovable hero Yugami shows, often enough to be the start of something wonderful.