Ohayou, Ibarahime

This was truly, truly an endearing piece of work... Here I am writing this some moments after finishing the series and letting my stirred-up heart settle. It is quite unlike most shoujo mangas you would encounter, and while I would say it is neither thoroughly enjoyable nor addictive, Ohayou Ibarahime is a rare kind of shoujo romance that endears itself to almost any reader; It weaves together a unique premise and an interesting line of characters to make a refreshing story for many.

Steering clear of the common shoujo romance tropes, we are instead taken through the feelings and experiences of each character, all of whom have a role to play in the overarching plot. From helping their fellow characters to grow & face up to reality, to influencing the development of things for both Tetsu and Shizu, every character is well-fleshed out along the way.

The story is not particularly exciting as a whole but, impressively, many twists and turns that are actually REALLY unexpected are incorporated into it, all the while keeping together the meaningful aspects which grounded my enjoyment of reading this manga. What resulted was a storyline that was coherent, consistent, and one that you could tell was very thoughtfully drafted. Admittedly, the story is one which I would describe as 'calmly-paced', meaning it sometimes felt slow to me and did not have as many adrenaline-pumping scenes which usually drives my binge-reading, but in hindsight, this state of affairs was probably the most fitting for the story.

Something I especially loved about Ohayou was how the feelings and lessons experienced by the characters so compellingly conveyed the realities of our lives--both the harshness and bliss of reality--through a beautiful script (really absolutely beautiful), themes, artwork and characters. Readers are also given a satisfying and realistic ending to tie it all up which certainly provides a good sense of closure that doesn't feel at all rushed or idealistic. And one that surprisingly made me tear up numerous times as I read the last volume...

One downside, in my opinion, was that I couldn't fully 'feel'/understand the characters sometimes, which does happen when reading manga, as our ability to interpret the story is limited to the visual representations within the manga panels. Nevertheless, this was a small aspect that probably would not interfere much with one's ability to appreciate the originality and beauty of this story.

Overall, Ohayou Ibarahime is a refreshing manga with loveable characters whom I could really feel for, although I was not so strongly pulled into the story at a few rare times. Would recommend to anyone who's looking for a novel plot that is both heartwarming and heartrending :')

Here is a manga that deserves to be far more well-known that it currently is.

Initially, the description of this manga turned me off from reading it - I generally don't like stories that revolve around the female MC being "rescued" or dependent on the male MC....I prefer female characters that are strong, independent, and not afraid to kick some ass or call others out on their BS when needed. Despite that, I found myself really loving this story. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why - but, the story is very well-written, with excellent artwork and solid characters to back it up.

The story is both touching and poignant, with a good balance of both sad and happy elements, but not in an overly dramatic "emotional roller coaster" manner. It definitely pulls at your heartstrings and creates a connection between the reader and the characters. The pacing of the story and the speed at which the romance between the characters develop were (in my opinion) very well-timed. Additionally, the way in which the relationship between the two MCs changed over time felt very natural to me. The overall length of the manga felt appropriate, and the ending was satisfying. It was not an "open" ending - there was definitely closure on all of the major plot points (either implicitly or explicitly), but the mangaka did not beat the story into the ground trying to tie off every little loose end.

I liked the characters a lot, and felt that they were developed without relying on cliches. Tetsu was definitely my favorite. I don't come across well-rounded male characters like him very often. He is a high school guy with a nurturing personality who is passionate about soccer, but also likes cleaning and cooking. He can have a strong, resolved personality at times, but is also fearful of things like ghosts. Despite all of this, he is not portrayed as effeminate or weak , nor maligned by his classmates or used as a source of comedic relief (all or which are how such characters seem to be portrayed in the other manga that I have read). I did like the female MC, Shizu, as well, even though she is different than what I normally look for in a female charater. Even though she does end up relying on Tetsu quite a bit, she is not a completely passive character, and clearly has a mind of her own - she has just become accustomed to suppressing it due to previous traumas. Watching her leave her shell and become comfortable in her own skin was an enjoyable metamorphosis.

There were a lot of aspects about the artwork in this manga that I really appreciated as well. Excellent background detail. In romance-oriented manga, facial expressions are one of the main criteria that I judge the artwork on, and Ohayo, Ibarahime definitely excels in that category. The facial expressions are well-detailed and moving, clearly able to convey what the characters are thinking and feeling without having to rely on assistance from the text or sfx. I was also impressed by the way that the mangaka was able to make it so clear to the reader which spirit was possessing Shizu based on her facial expressions and appearance.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this manga to a wide variety of readers. Despite being a shoujo romance based on school-aged characters, I think that it would appeal to many older readers as well (like myself), and many male readers might find the supernatural elements of the story (as well as a very well-developed male MC) interesting.

I already wrote a review on this on Google Play books, but let me just write another one for the manga that is seated #1 on my list.

Reading the chapters was one hell of a rollercoaster. I was swooning, then I was frustrated. I was laughing. I was reflecting. Then I was swooning again. It's not that surprising anymore that my tears were spilling.

If a manga made me show this much emotion, then it's definitely a masterpiece.

It's honestly incredible and quite unique. I thought it was just gonna be your typical high school love story, ya know? The usual clichés the shoujo genre would have. I expected nothing else. So I was thinking of dropping it, but it turned out to have a twist, and that's what left me wanting to read more.

Personally, this manga hit so many marks on me. Especially near the 'kokoro'. The family arguments were heartbreaking. But in the end, a family will always find a way to stay family. Don't underestimate that bond!

The romance was sweet; not too rushed or overly cheesy, neither was it too slow or minimal. For Tetsu and Shizu, they ran at their own pace, and definitely had a handful of support from their families.

That supernatural twist is probably one of the major points in the manga. Though it's not anything huge like 7 feet three-headed demons, I think with this, it keeps the story balanced.

Also, the art is neat and charming! I really adore Morino-sensei's style.

This is one of the few mangas I'd consider recommending to others — however, I don't think many people know about 'Ohayou, Ibarahime', so now that I've found it, it's kinda like I want it to stay a hidden gem.

'Ohayou, Ibarahime' was hard to put down. I've become so attached to this manga, and I'm sure I still will be in the future.

It's not really easy to find a decent shoujo manga to read that fits to our tastes, whether for male or female readers. Sometimes we just read the manga when the manga is quite popular and we've heard the good reviews about it. If you're lucky enough, you'll find a hidden gem like "Ohayou, Ibarahime" or "Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty". When you first time see the manga cover, you might think it's an average shoujo manga but ... it's not like your regular shoujo manga with a far-fetched and overly lovey-dovey story. We need something different sometimes. A sorrowful story with a realistic storytelling and of course a good romance approach.

What's on your mind when you heard "Sleeping Beauty"? Probably a story about the princess who fell into a deep sleep for a long time being kissed by the handsome prince in order to woke her up. But ... this is not your regular "Sleeping Beauty" story. Let your wildest imagination fly to the sky. The story follows Misato Tetsu, a highschooler who works at the mansion as a part-timer, and Karasawa Shizu, a mysterious girl who lives in the lodge on the other side of the mansion.

Tetsu is our main hero in this story. With his calm and caring nature, who doesn’t like him? He’s warm and friendly person. Sometimes he can be silly when facing something outside his predictions, but he’s also a responsible person. He always does his job well. He's one of the best boyfriend material. How about main heroine? Is she a typical spoiled princess? I don’t think so. She’s a gloomy girl and never leave her room in the lodge, because she is said to have a “personality disorder” so she’s told not to leave her room. Does she have a “personality disorder”? Or, is there any secret behind the vicissitude that befell her?

Their story begins with an unexpected meeting. Tetsu lost his stuff so he searched around the mansion. Finally, he went to the lodge where the girl lived. When he got there, all he found was a normal girl who’s cleaning the room. There’s nothing unusual about it. After talking for a while, he asked Shizu out to see the shooting star. They came out through the wall with stairs so that they were not known by others. After they arrive at the open field, Shizu is amazed to see shooting stars and start crying in happiness. After that, Tetsu conveyed his feelings to Shizu. However, Shizu didn’t give an answer and told Tetsu to say the same thing when he came to her lodge. When he came there he found Shizu lying on the bench. She got up and said “Who are you?” to Tetsu. What happened with her?

I think it’s pretty hard to tell what’s going on in this manga without give some spoilers, especially the thing I described below. I’ll try to make the spoiler as small as possible.

[MINOR SPOILER]

Shizu is possessed by four spirits. They change roles at certain times in Shizu’s body. Sometimes her personality is like an adult man, sometimes childish like a young boy, sometimes like a popular girl, and sometimes she acted calmly like an old man. That’s why her personality changed all the time. The previous servants of the mansion can’t deal with it. Only Tetsu can handle it. Even though he afraid to face things he usually fears, he tries his best to make Shizu can live normally and showing feelings that have long been lost from her.

[END OF SPOILER]

The main focus of this story is how to cast the spirits out from Shizu’s body. Not by exorcism, but by understanding the feelings of the spirits so that they can rest peacefully and leave her body without hatred. The romance is not the main aspect of the story, but the romance is a way to understand how to treat Shizu with her “disorder” and make her live the life without a bad outlook. I feel like I read a mature (Seinen/Josei) manga with Shoujo touch. There’re so many scenes with deep meanings in this manga.

We can see the character development clearly in this manga. The main or side characters have their respective developments. Shizu, who previously feel inferior to her personality, slowly change thanks to Tetsu who is always by her side to accompany and find solutions to the problems faced by her. Whereas Tetsu, who previously has a trauma for terrifying things, getting used to supernatural phenomenon caused by the spirits who possessed Shizu. They’re both stronger than before. Every characters in this manga are likeable and have their own charms for the readers because of well-written back stories and good characterizations.

When it comes to the art, there’s nothing to complain about. It’s really good and well-drawn. Character expressions are drawn clearly and not overdramatized. I love how the creator draw blushing characters. It’s really cute. Smiles, tears, and sadness of the characters are depicted in a pleasant way. Just perfect. The comedic art is hilarious. Every time I read it, I always feel happy. I never felt bored when reading it. The cover is one of the aspects whether the book is interesting to read or not so the cover becomes a crucial thing to think about.

As the author stated on volume 6, there are different themes in every volume covers based on the flower meanings, especially roses. We already know that roses are symbol of love and passion. There’re specific meanings of roses based on the colors. I’ll try to explain the correlations between them.

● Volume 1 is symbolized with red roses that represent everlasting passion. The love story between Tetsu and Chizu starts here.

● Volume 2 is symbolized with yellow roses. The flower expressing friendship and great pleasure. This volume reveals the relationship between the main characters and those around them. There’re some heartwarming scenes here.

● Volume 3 is symbolized with white roses that represent modesty and purity. Tetsu starts to be honest with his feelings about anything, not just about his love for Shizu. In the other hand, Shizu is like an innocent child who is always curious. Her eyes opened by Tetsu to see the world she never known before.

● Volume 4 is symbolized with purple roses that represent allure and love at first sight. The seeds of love slowly grow into trees. Their feelings go deeper in each other’s heart.

● Volume 5 is symbolized with blue roses that represent the desire for the unattainable and zinnia, the flower of longing. You’ll find many emotional scenes and you’ll experience of losing someone after you finished reading this volume.

● There’s no explanation about volume 6, but we can see Tetsu and Shizu in happiness and embracing with a bouquet of flowers in the middle. We can find out just by looking it. They live happily ever after … Sounds like your regular Sleeping Beauty, huh? But the story is far beyond it in my opinion.

The creator of this manga, Morino Megumi, has manifested the meaning of flowers on her manga well. When some of mangakas don’t think about the philosophies behind the covers and draw them just for aesthetic purposes, Morino-sensei think about it deeply. I think it’s a good thing the mangaka has.

Overall, I will recommend this manga to shoujo manga fans and casual manga readers, or people who never got into shoujo manga. You can feel delighted, depressed, and empty at the same time because of emotional scenes there. The story can drag us in depth. You won't regret anything. I like how the mangaka involves side characters not only to connect stories, but as characters that are on par with the main characters. The conclusion of the story is also satisfying – a closed ending that doesn’t need a sequel. With a good storytelling, I hope the mangaka doesn’t stop to make a good manga for the reader. I’d like to follow the other works of the mangaka.

I’m open with opinions and suggestions. Don’t be shy to give a comment on my profile about this review.

When I first started reading it, I didn't expect this plot.
If you want a new idea for a story, I highly recommend it.
I loved the art, It's really well drawn. But most of all, all the characters in this manga developed really well. starting with the main FC, she war really isolated, living alone, rejected by her own mother & father (maybe a spoiler: they feared her).
When the main MC got into the picture, her entire life changed, also his, despite his first reaction when he saw "her special condition"

Overall, I really enjoyed it, I laughed, I cried, I was frightened and I was very happy at the end.

I hope you can enjoy it as well.

I can't believe I finished this in two nights!!! I told myself I wouldn't pick up another series until I finish the Promised Neverland manga... but I needed some god damn romance man (and booooyyyyy, did I get it)

Story; You're introduced to a boy named Tetsu Misato, a short, energetic high-schooler whose declared that he won't go to college and will quit school to work instead. As any parent/family would, they were pissed at his out of the blue decision... but instead of fighting him, his father lets him work at his housekeeping agency under the condition he won't get into trouble... little did he expect to discover a mysterious girl who lives at the mansion. As time passes, he begins to fall in love and discovers the mystery behind the girl named Shizu Karasawa. Abandoned by her family, a story of being sick and a heart that never got to develop; watch these two kids grow into young adults, learn about dealing with family and how to understand emotions for the first time.
I've been enjoying another series of Megumi Morino's where the art and characters are just as fantastic here... but this one is the cherry to top the freaking cake.

I loved the development of the characters, how you get to learn about the WHOLE cast (there weren't any random characters that were just thrown in and forgotten about from what I can remember) and heart-wrenching family moments (The main message (to me anyway) of this manga is that it's important to talk, discuss and listen to the important people around you. You can't understand the situations around you if you don't speak up, ask directly and take every possible perspective into view)

Besides the slight cliff hanger at the end, the whole manga was a 10/10 for ME!!! I loved every bit of this Shoujo and I can't wait to read more series from the Author.

I finished reading this manga in two days I couldn't stop from read it.
The story is very interesting and the character so good specially the main characters I really loved their relationship and the way how the mangka develop it and how heshe mange to change it. the story about mc family it was very overwhelming I loved his sisters and his father and like more than anyone in this manga I like mc who work hard for sack his family and to help his father to pay hospital bills for his mother and how he want to work and help shizu-san state for his mother is shows how he love his mother and I loved how he managed to overcome his fear for ghost to help the one he loved. And laughed so hard when he confess his feeling to her only to know her state afterword. Every time he spend with her make me feel I want to help someone beside my family.
Shizu-san one of few female character in shoujo manga I loved very much and she was very hell cute when she realize her own feeling and try to understand it
Really she is sleeping beauty.

I thought this was such an adorable heartfelt story, the art is gorgeous like honestly, whenever a character smiles in this, it just melts my heart. I think Shinzu was the best smiler out of the rest cause she is just so so adorable! I loved when herself and Tetsu 's relationship was blossoming every second they laid eyes on each other. I also shipped Tetsus sister Ryo and Tetsus stone faced friend childhood friend Ueno being together (if only).

Although I will say it has a few intense scenes, especially when it comes to Shinzus father so be warned about that. It's not always roses folks. However it really is a very good romantic manga to check out!

This manga is really touching, i hope more shoujo manga like this exist than typical shoujo manga, anyway lets get started.

Story: (10)
A story about a housekeeper who gave up his passion to support his family by earning a large portion of cash for his family and one day he met the rumored girl that has an illness, or is it really an illnss? its a heartwarming touching story and takes more on a realistic view of it. A story about protecting a fragile girl with an empty heart from harm, and a housekeeper beside her who wants to confront even though his afraid but still wants to help her, how are they going to fill up that empty heart of her?

Art: (10)
Its a charming and a fitting art style for the story. nothing much to complaont about it.

Character: (10) Tetsu Misato is a hard working person, who wants to help the people around him, a very capable person and loves his family very much even if he have to sacrifice everything he have for them, and Shizu Karasawa who had been isolated from the world due to her illness and doesn't want to cause harm to others.

Enjoyment: (10)
I enjoyed it up to the last moment where at the point i feel like crying, its a really touching story.

Overall: (10)
Everything was amazing, so make sure to read it and prepeare yourself from the feels.

As a person who grew up reading shoujo and has spent a tremendous amount of time filtering and sifting through various shoujo series and oneshots, I can say with utmost certainty that Ohayou, Ibarahime is among one of the best (if not the best) shoujo mangas ever published (I made this account just to express the adoration I have toward this series lol).

Ohayou, Ibarahime explores the story of two young adults who have to navigate the difficulties of becoming their own people while learning to rely on one another and the people around them. It's a heart-touching, riveting story that will make you laugh, swoon, and CRY. Idk if I'm just a really weepy person but while reading this series, I cried so much--about SOCCER at that (this series' main plot point isn't even about soccer--hell, I could care less about soccer irl).

Additionally, Morino's art and writing draws the emotions out of her characters so transparently that you feel every little thing they're contemplating. Anguish, sorrow, and most importantly, joy, are all complex feelings that the characters cycle through constantly. Morino presents her characters as humanly and as raw as possible through her use of expressions and inner dialogues. As a reader, you will repent with the characters while also feeling happy whenever they are. I found myself constantly cheering for these characters and their compelling attitudes never gave me time to put the manga down (binged it all in one go the first time around). I'd also like to note that I say CHARACTERS a lot because the two main leads are not the only characters thoroughly explored which is incredibly delightful to see when a story's entire world is intricately thought out and pieced together to shape the perceptions of the two main foci.

[MINOR SPOILERS] My only criticism with this series has to do with two very particular characters: Shizu's mom and dad. It was very hard to convince me that either of these characters deserved a redemption arc after the lifelong abuse and trauma they put their child through (yes, negligence is very much abuse!!!) so it didn't sit well with me when the author did attempt to vindicate them so tersely. I could write a whole analysis on these two, but I won't do that here for the sake of length. [END SPOILERS]

Overall, Morino presents a unique plot that is packed with emotional depth and storytelling with equally dimensionally fleshed out characters and gorgeous art to boot. Ohayou, Ibarahime is a piece that feels very whole with its ample pacing and resolving of conflicts. I wouldn't recommend this series to just shoujo fans, but anyone who loves remarkable storytelling as it is a fantastic piece of work that would be very close to that of a masterpiece if not for my other minor criticisms. It's obvious that Morino put a lot of thought into this manga and I'd be elated if an animation studio were to pick this series up. If I were to give this manga a solid rating, it'd probably be a 9.9/10; I love it to bits and pieces and it'll probably stay that way for a long while. (I reread this series a year after the first time I picked it up and deadass cried the whole time reading it because I knew what was gonna happen lmao. Right after I finished my reread, I went and bought all 6 volumes off of Amazon. It's seriously that good!!)