Bitter Virgin

I always have the urge to justify what I read/watch when the title of series makes people suspicious of who I am as a person.

Anyway, Bitter Virgin is one of the most misleading titles to date, and it could either make you disregard the book or make you curious to know more about it. As you can tell, I’m the latter. I read the summary and went straight to reading this series. Every time another chapter was translated, I got excited and read it immediately!

Before anyone actually thinks this manga is about a bitter virgin, let me just tell you it’s not! It’s quite the opposite. It’s about a high school female (Hinako) that had been raped, had an abortion, and had a child which she gave up for adoption! At the very beginning of the manga, she comes off as this extremely awkward girl who cannot stand being near men. You’re presented with a girl who appears weak, but as the story goes on, you start to notice that the way she handles herself with the other female characters show how strong she really is. The beauty of the manga is her! All you want is for Hinako to be happy. If I had to relate Hinako to the title, I would just say that she has the “virgin-like” quality ( the feminist inside of me is not satisfied with this word choice of mine), Daisuke finds her bitter, and she finds men bitter. 


Daisuke is the male protagonist. When you’re first introduced to him, you notice that he is your typical high school scumbag. However, once he finds out Hinako’s backstory, he grows so much as a character. Although he is annoying, and the heavy narration he does for the story is extremely redundant, he still manages to say things that are necessary for the story to progress. Furthermore, even though he still has yet to see women as capable beings, you can tell he’ll keep growing beyond the story.

So, the series is basically about the relationship between Daisuke and Hinako. How will it form with all the problems both have? Hinako is unaware of the fact that Daisuke knows about her past, she still has androphobia, and to add to this, Daisuke is slowly falling in love with her BECAUSE he accidentally discovered her secret.

There are so many odd turns that this manga takes, but the ending is bitter sweet. It’s not extremely happy, but it’s not sad either. Both characters state what realistically can happen in the future when it comes to their lives. A hopeless romantic might not like the closure, but it is important that it’s done this way (especially because the ending is rushed... and the random guy that appeared didn’t make the series as believable).
Pros:
-Storyline
-Hinako!
-Some parts are realistic (apparently the sister’s arc was heavily inspired by the manga-ka’s life.]
-it manages to incorporate romance to this sensitive topic.
-The manga is short

Cons:
-Typical storyline ("weak" girl, and an annoying boy who turns "sweet" because of her)
-Side characters: they are horrible... one of the girls is extremely obsessed with Daisuke even though he doesn't have a spec of special quality in him.
- the narrative quality (it can be a good thing as well)
-The last two volumes felt rushed.
-Things were added just to make everything work. Few moments felt forced.

This manga is beautiful, but I don’t think it will be for everyone. When Hinako’s past is explained in details, it is slightly graphic (if this was an anime form, I do not think I could watch it). Her stepfather raped her, and you see her crying with a bit of blood on her… how else can I explain it?

Anyway, the main reason for this review is to say: Do NOT let the title fool you! If anything, it’s more of a metaphor than a silly sexualized story.

Rating: 8- 8.5

I'll start off by saying maybe my expectations were a little too high. I wanted to read it as it looked similar to Onani Master Kurosawa which got better with each volume to end up as one of my favorites.
As I read Bitter Virgin, the beginning was just mediocre but I gave it a second chance and kept reading it until the very last panel. [Btw I thought there'll be a few more chapters after that, so a weak ending like that managed to make the aftertaste feel ever worse somehow.]
I could sum up whole plot development with "random bull***t go" meme, that was the only reaction I was getting far often for manga that has just 30 chapters.
It's sad that it wanted to tell something to readers but eventually nothing came out of it, it kept juggling between carefree school romance and trying to get people feel empathetic for Hinako. While it tried to squeeze as much as possible from this tragedy it failed to show empathy itself. I just couldn't believe that you can make such insensitive lines and act like it was the right move and the same thing happened more than once. I don't want to blame the author too much, maybe this was a bad case of translation barrier, but even if that's the main cause of my perception of dialogues in this manga, the original version can't be that much better so it's mediocre at best.
In summary I could easily forgive it if it happened once or twice but multiple plot developments just felt forced and didn't really add anything which later snowballed into the whole story not conveying anything at all. Which also made dialogues worse as they had to fix past errors and make more unrealistic jumps to push things forward all while not being empathetic enough which is the worst thing you could do when trying to deal with traumatic events.
Sidenote: about another thing that happened too many times... first her father then her step father [multiple times] and then that guy on the street... Like I said you can't make people feel more emapthetic just by adding numbers to rape count. That was the final straw that made me know it won’t get better.

Bitter Virgin is one of the few manga titles out there that deals with the horrible problems people face in real life, such as rape and abortion, and it deals with those issues as maturely as possible. The reason for this is probably down to the author being a woman who had to deal with stillbirth, one of the many issues the story goes into, herself when she was younger.

The story is very easy to understand and follow, yet it makes for compelling reading as a result of the story delving into the difficult topic of rape and how a rape victim deals with being around males afterwards. I haven't encountered any other anime or manga that has attempted to show how a rape victim acts and the slow road to getting over the fear of the opposite gender that women understandably feel after being sexually assaulted. The story was made that bit more powerful by the age of the rape victim (she was 14 when she got pregnant for the second time, 16 at the start of the story) and how she was raped so many times by her step father.

Hinako, the tragic female lead of the story, transferred to a school far away from her mother after she gave birth to a child that was conceived when her stepfather raped her. For a lengthy period before this her stepfather had sexually abused her, which resulted in her having an abortion before she became pregnant again later and gave birth. Her mother refused to believe her when Hinako told her just before she had her abortion, even going as far as to cover up the abortion so that her partner didn't find out. And, when her mother did finally believe her after she became pregnant for a second time, it was too late - their relationship had been damaged beyond repair. Hinako gave up the baby for adoption and moved to a completely different area.

At the new school she moved to, everyone assumed she was just a shy virgin. Even the male lead, Daisuke, who had most the girls in his class chasing after him, thought she was just the shy type at first, even going as far as to say she wasn't his type. But this all changed when Hinako entered the local church to make a confession and, with Daisuke hiding in there, ended up confessing everything to him, leaving him feeling awful. His thoughts about her then started to change, and he soon started to develop feelings for her that he hadn't felt before - love.

From there the plot moves at a steady pace as the two become closer and closer. Other characters become involved quickly, providing both help and more problems. On the problem side Kazuki, a girl who is obsessed with Daisuke, is easily the most problematic - she stalks poor Daisuke everywhere and even tries to bully Hinako to stop them becoming close. Another classmate thrown into the mix is Yuzu; another girl with a crush on Daisuke, this one having a sisterly relationship with him and not being obsessive like Kazuki. The other notable characters are Daisuke's mother, who hopes he will take over the shop she runs, and Daisuke's pregnant older sister, Izumi.

The main cast is very small, as you'd expect when the series is as short as it is. However, all the characters bring a little something to the story and never distract the reader from the relationship between the main two. Kazuki is there to make life difficult, Yuzu is there to support the main two (and cause yet another problem for them towards the end), Izumi is there to help Hinako beat her demons and Daisuke's mother is there for a bit of light comedy and some of the more serious moments. Although Daisuke's mother played a relatively minor role, the others are all very good characters.

Now, onto my more general thoughts about the series. Aside from the story not avoiding what other stories avoid like the plague and the story coming across as very realistic, what I liked the most about Bitter Virgin was how it didn't go on longer than it needed to. What I hated when reading Kare Kano, another (less serious) romance manga, was how it focused on the relationship between the main two at first and then started switching the focus to the huge amount of other characters involved, which meant the story dragged on for 21 volumes when it could've ended much earlier if only what was truly important had been focused on. In comparison, Bitter Virgin was able to reach its conclusion in a mere four volumes due to the focus of the story never completely switching from the relationship of Aikawa and Suwa.

Talking of the conclusion, the end did disappoint me a little. After all Daisuke and Hinako went through, it ended a little too negatively - I was hoping for a happy ever after type of ending. It wasn't totally bleak or anything, it just ended with rather depressing thoughts and didn't give a glimpse into the future in order to show how everything turned out. As happy as I am that the story wasn't dragged out, it would've been nice to have an extra chapter showing Daisuke and Hinako married with kids or something similar.

Before leaving you, I should at least mention the art. I thought the art was good without being amazing - none of the panels caught my eye and made me think how well it had been drawn. The best thing about the art was how it managed to highlight the innocence of Hinako; a girl who came across as a virgin to those who didn't know her secret due to how shy she seemed. While I can't imagine the art wowing anyone, I doubt readers would think it looks bad or find it difficult to follow the story as a result of the art.

Overall, I got a lot out of reading Bitter Virgin. Seeing a story go into the darker side of life and not hold back has made me hopeful of reading more stories like this when I was starting to lose hope. If the series ever gets released in the UK I'll be buying it.

Rating: 9/10

This is a very heart-stopping manga, it tells u how life can treat u and that the world isnt just a fairy-tale and that basically the world is full of both good and bad people. It starts off with a normal boy who is the "happy-go-lucky" ladies-man at skool talking about all of the women he would like, except for one that he thought wasnt good enuff and just not the right girl for him. but acidently without her knowing, she told him her deepest secret that kept him gob-smacked and thinking more deeply about her. it a tough but also tender manga, well-woven and full of tears.It gives the reader a real good time to think about the other people in the world who suffer bad experiences and how lucky u are not to have. Dont just think that "oh my life is so bad" until u have read this manga through and through!!! i really love this manga, everytime u read it u know that life is just unpridictable.

Bitter Virgin is a great manga for people that need a reason to be cheerful, or people that simply like a good drama. I'll be honest though, it CAN be pretty depressing sometimes.

It's a good read, so long as you're the type of person that can handle depression well. The story flow is nice, the characters are an excellent representation of human nature, and it's very well drawn. I can't promise you'll enjoy it, but after taking a few anti-depressants you'll appreciate it as a work of art.

NOTE: Please don't ACTUALLY take anti-depressants after reading this, unless you're supposed to.

I hate romances due to the fact they waste too much time on love triangles and misunderstandings. And you know what? Bitter Virgin does that too, and I hate it for that. However, the reason why the two don't get together in the first place makes sense for once, and thus I celebrate that.

Bitter Virgin tells the tale of a boy named Suwa. At first off, he has no interest in a transfer student called Aikawa due to her fear of men, but after overhearing her confessing in a church that her step-father sexually abused her and got her pregnant twice, he finds that the girl manages to work her way deep into his heart.

It's the main plot that really makes the series. How Aikawa slowly begins to open up to Suwa and get over her fears is the best part of this. Suwa is very nervous getting close to her in fear that he will hurt her. The main thing that prevents these two from getting close truly isn't outside interference, but the fact that they are just too scared. The pure romance in this manga is the fluffy feeling that I like, not the forced feeling, as you can truly tell that they both love each other. The tragedies in this show are truly great and offer some of the best scenes in this series. Suwa and Aikawa are an excellent couple... Of course, a romance remains a romance, and what's a romance without a forced love triangle and a childhood friend with a secret crush?

Bitter Virgin has one of the best main couples I have seen. However, it also has the worst love triangle ever. It wouldn't have been so bad if the other girl in the triangle, Ibuse, wasn't an annoying, clingy bitch with no redeeming qualities, but unfortunately she is. Not to mention the love triangle is useless too. There's already plenty of romantic tension coming just from the premise of this manga to create a series. There's no need for a cliched love triangle. And why did the childhood friend like Suwa besides the fact she was his childhood friend?

Bitter Virgin however, like I said, is a very fluffy read. Suwa is a great main character and is a lovable idiot who has no clue what he's doing while Aikawa does a great job being the shy love interest with a good reason for being shy. Most side characters (minus Ibuse) are also well fleshed out, such as Suwa's sister who appears halfway through the series who suffers a tragedy of her own. She's a great character with realistic problems. All of the characters in this anime are actually realistic, and I like it for that.

The art is decent. It's not really my type of style, but it is good for what it is. All of the characters look different, even if their basic designs are a little plain. The designs are realistic, which adds to the feel of the series.

I would have been all over this manga if it wasn't for that love triangle. However, as it is, it is a very good romance manga and I recommend it to anyone.

Think of the worst things that can happen. It happens here. Not only that, but this manga takes the phrase 'from bad to worse' to a whole new level. Wow. I don't think I've ever read anything that rips out my heart like this manga.

Story: Like above. Wow. Just wow. Have tissues, and maybe someone to talk to about your feelings after this one, because just when you thought something good will happen- NOPE! But dagnabit, I want them to end up happy! So if that was the intent, well done.

Art: Didn't really do it for me. There was more than a few panels that were awkward. Maybe it might be your cup of tea, but not quite mine.

Character: They were, despite every horrible thing that happened, somewhat believable. I understood their motivations and wanted them to succeed, and there was a good deal of growth. Well done.

Overall- This plays out like some of Law and Order SVU, and it is a good read if you want a good cry. This novel is a good one, but very heavy. Worth a read, but not exactly a top priority. Just remember to talk to Olivia Benson about your emotions afterwards and hug a stuffed animal or something.

This Manga is a beautiful Manga with a truly unique storyline. The lead female character, Aikawa, has an extrordinarily designed personality and history, and the lead male character, Suwa, is so very sweet. This manga makes you feel a sympathy towards the main characters, particularly Aikawa.

I love this romance, of how Aikawa's story transform's the girl chasing Suwa into someone in love without her even noticing, and how Suwa changes Aikawa's view on men and love. over all i have fallen in love with this manga as it was the first ever shojo manga i heve ever read(i was not a huge fan of shojo before this).

the story is matched by the romantic well draw backgrounds and characters, using a traditional shojo theme with what i describe as a wispy and romantic way of drawing.

the only downside to this story is the unpredictable rate of scanalations coming out, they are very slow, but it's well worth the wait in my opinion.

Most guys will never understand the mind of a girl, and this manga is a great example of that.

Story: 9
This story follows Suwu, as he pretends to be a priest as a girl confesses her dark secrets to him. Because of these dark secrets (And they are pretty dark), he is enamored by her and an instinct to protect her kicks in for Suwu. The problem is, the girl does not know Suwu knows, and other girls at his school become jealous of the attention that Suwu pays to the girl.

This plot is started by a lie, a common story telling device, and a very predictable one as well. I can honestly say the story felt very standard, it followed what seemed like a preset of a love triangle (Square) and a story based off a lie. This doesn't mean the story was entertaining, just fairly predictable.

The pacing was fast, maybe it was because I was bored at night and couldn't sleep and plowed through this manga quickly. This fast pace wasn't anything bad though, it made it work with the story.

Art: 7
The art was pretty good, but not outstanding. I really enjoyed the design for all four main characters, albeit the female protagonist looked a bit cut and dry (Her dark secrets make up for that).

There is only one problem I had with the art, it was the first (and only) action scene, it wasn't poorly drawn, but I had to go over it multiple times to understand what happened.

Character: 8
I loved the main female protagonist, she was innocent mentally but non-innocent physically. She was a great character with a lot depth. Her emotions were controlled well, and I can imagine in my head that this is how a girl will act if gone through the terrible experience she has.

The male protagonist was not my cup of tea, he was so obsessive over the girl. The only problem to me, is that I don't if this is a good or bad thing! THIS MAKES ME SO MAD. I understand that he wants to protect her, so it is ok to obsess over her, but it is so creepy as well. I don't know. I may be the only one who is thinking this too.

Enjoyment: 9
I honestly wasn't expecting the dark secret, I saw a review of it (only yesterday) and quickly read the synopsis without giving it much thought. By the fourth page, i was completely in shock, like seriously wtf. I kept reading it and it kept getting more interesting even though it was predictable. As with other mangas, i have even expressed vocally how shocked or happy I was with some parts.

Overall: 8
This was a quick, but great read. Very enjoyable and I wish there would be more.

I have to admit, I've only just started reading this manga, and this is my first review.

A manga like this, with such a taboo plot, doesn't usually hit this close to home. Not to me, but with my very dear childhood friend. This is captured perfectly, the step-father's attempts, the mother thinking the child is lying, then when the mother was backed into a corner, she had no choice but to kick him out and beg for forgiveness.

Some of us have gone through things that happened in this manga, some can relate on another level, (for me it's the fear of men I have because I knew a molester like a neighboor, and my friend's brave struggles.) or just you want to see things from a new point of view.

This stories struggles with a strong and brave heroine, who faces her fears every day no matter what, and the people who grow to care about her.
This is a truly amazing manga.

“If this were a nightmare, then this is the part when I would open my eyes.”

Life.
It can be cruel and even when it's not it will tests you. Sometimes to see how far you can go before you break, or even after that. That’s how it is for characters in this story. This manga shines light into things that happen more often than not to women and their families but that we don’t think about until it happens to someone we love.
In case you’re wondering, it doesn’t just deal with a girl’s story into overcoming rape and pregnancy. It throws into a whirlwind everything you believed to be true, to be fair. You see the life of people you love crumble in front of you while you're defenseless to stop it. It’s about moving on and forgiving. And for some characters, it’s even about controlling your psychotic tendencies (you know who you are).

Daisuke is your average guy who helps out in his mom in her restaurant. He wants nothing more than to get into a far away university and never look back just like his sister did. In the mean time he’ll study for his exam and go out with as many girls as he can. He goes through more girls than people change socks which makes him a little bit of a player. But there is one girl not even he will touch and he’s not sure why. Maybe because she cringes whenever any guy even looks her way. Aikawa Hinako. A delivery job and a stalker girl later he finds himself hiding out in a church. While he’s leaving Aikawa walks in and on the presumption that he is a priest on the other side of that thin wall she confesses, everything. Rape, abortion and a baby, how can one girl who’s barely lived been through so much.

Through Daisuke’s eyes we get to see Aikawa, really see her. The way she acts, talks and smiles. Hides her pain from the world. We start to care for at the same time Daisuke does. Slowly she crawls into his heart and he starts to view the world differently and care for someone besides himself. Wants to protect her. He becomes more mature right before our eyes.

Though the manga would have been from Aikawa’s point of view but instead we get Daisuke‘s. Which turns out to be a good thing. She is actually a well rounded character and doesn’t easily drown in her own misfortunes like some people would. But she is also very human about what happens to her and doesn’t just swipe it under the rug. While reading some scenes I found myself getting angry at Aikawa’s life. The way she was treated by people who were suppose to protect her from harm and believe her above all else. Anyone else.

We also get rare glimpses into most of the characters mind. We experience them as people and see them for who they are, evil or not. Whether a role of villain or sidekick, it is played well. So well that sometimes it leaves you wondering how that person will react or what they’ll do. Every chapter is a cliffhanger in Bitter Virgin. It get’s a little frustrating but it’s nothing that takes away from the story, much.


Had the art been bubbly and perfect, I don’t think it would have gone well with the story. As it is, it just emphasis the raw feeling the manga gives. The not everything is beautiful and imperfection has it’s gloriousness feel. The expression sometimes weren’t the best, one scene reminded me of Liar Game, which would have been enough to make me drop the manga but the story was too absorbing to just drop there. The characters have this haunted look that help relate them to what’s going on. As a result it gets an 8 in art.

After all that’s said and done what makes this manga truly rare and priceless is that most of it is based events that happened to Kusunoki Tei, the author. Tei, went through something similar and I won’t tell you what part it is, you just have to read it to find out.