I wanted to be fair in this review, so I think an 8 was pretty well-deserved.

As much as it pains me to think that my needs in any manga or anime, especially that of the romance variety, are so simple I truly believe this manga ended in a way that I can't really be too upset about.

It wasn't what was done that gave me satisfaction but, instead, what was said.

Those last couple of lines were enough to keep me sated even if only mostly.

Story - 7/10:
There really wasn't much "story" or "plot" per se. Rather, it was more like a bunch of short stories strung together by a wonky sense of continuation. It had some arcs that seemed to carry it along, but nothing substantial that could be considered a "plot". Still, it did what it did and it did it well.


Art - 9/10:
Very old school. I liked it a lot. Despite its simplicity, it was very detailed and really made you feel like you were seeing the world through the character's eyes. This was perhaps one of my favorite things about this series. The design of the characters had such an innocent and approachable feel.


Character - 8/10:
I think the characters were likable enough. I liked that Akira was a typical teenager but had his moments of maturity. It reminds me a lot of myself. Angsty and hot tempered at times, calm and collected the rest. Really relatable. Mikoto was also very likable. Despite how standoffish she was, she was very cute and girly. As the story goes on, her personality really opens up and you start to see how adorable she can really be. She finds her comfort in Akira and thus opens up with her honest feelings more and more.


Enjoyment - 7/10:
I likely won't be writing home about this one. Not because I didn't like it. On the contrary, I really enjoyed this series. However, it didn't give me anything to really cheer about. I praise it for its simplicity and honesty but I can't say I'd ever have a discussion about it with a friend.


Overall - 8/10:
While I may not have been totally satisfied with the ending it did end. I had hoped that maybe there would be some short stories to show what life was like after high school or something but it appears this series is over and done with. Riichi could have done a much better job at creating emotion and depth, I think. It seems like the story hit a plateau and never changed from there. I would have definitely worked up the ending a bit more and probably just give the readers what they were after from the start. That being said, I did think about why Riichi might have ended it the way he did. I have theories though I'm not sure any of them will prove valid enough. All in all, it was a good run but, ultimately, it left me wanting more. Which is nice, so long as you have something to look forward. I don't think that will be the case with Nazo no Kanojo X.