Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii

Wotaku Ni Koi Wa Muzukashii was a minor letdown for me. I was mildly interested in the concept and decided to give it a try. In the first few chapters, I found the characters to be quite entertaining and mildly interesting at worst, so I thought I had found a new read. Except as I continued, I was sorely let down by the lack of plot development. The story is extremely slow and monotonous without anything new or interesting. While the characters did develop a little, it did not make up for the lack of plot. Of course, I could be entirely wrong. At the point of this review, I have only read 11 chapters (of currently 21) so the plot could come to light later on, but I feel little to no reason to continue. There's little to nothing to keep me interested to get to the main plot (should it exist). Of course, some might argue that plot isn't essential to all manga, and I agree. However, while there is manga that does not require a plot, they are generally all-out comedy anime (which Wotaku Ni Koi Wa Muzukashii is not), and generally, even those tend to have some semblance of plot development. In the end, Wotaku Ni Koi Wa Muzukashii was a letdown. It isn't bad, but it still lost my interest.


Recap Scoring

Story: 2 (Really Bad)
Almost non-existent

Art: 7 (Good)
Solid art, but nothing exceptional

Characters: 7 (Good)
The characters were easily the best part of Wotaku Ni Koi Wa Muzukashii. They were entertaining and somewhat interesting, but again, nothing too exceptional

Enjoyment: 5 (Meh)
Despite a couple giggles, there was a lack of interesting content.

Overall: 5

Story: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Character: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 9/10 (because the story has yet to advance far enough for me to give a perfect score)

As of Chapter 4.5:
This story is really cute, much like Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, but with a developing relationship instead of a crush. It also has a pair of side characters that seem to have a very good relationship.

Characters are really relatable and very cute. Hirotaka (main male) is a little dense occassionally, but not to the extent of ignorance, so he won't make you annoyed at how nothing seems to be moving in the story.

The main characters were originally friends before they became lovers, so the relationship was not rushed, but seem to developed at a reasonable pace thus far.

Art is clean and beautiful and the occasional coloured pages only add on to the beauty.

The story made my heart dokidoki because all four characters were simply adorable.

So please give this manga a try!

(will update this review as the story goes)

Story: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Character: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10

As of Chapter 17.5:

Since I discovered this series around a year ago, I've found myself opening this treasure chest of laughter many, many times. It's one of my three go-to mangas when I just want to sit and relax with a good refreshing read, like one I'd want to have while I'm lounging in a lawn chair on a summer morning at a beach house. (The other two are Horimiya and 14-Sai no Koi).

Why I like this so much:

Story:
It's a Slice of Life no matter how you cut it and it really appeals Otakus in particular (And if we're here, we'll most likely classify as one). It references many parts of Japanese otaku and fujoshi culture, but always has a comedic twist to it. And as a fan I will recommend you to never forget to read the footnotes. Also there will be a lot of BL shipping going on in the manga (Boys Love, Yaoi, Gay). So if you're not fine with that, turn away.

Art:
The art is amazing, with immense detail for even the littlest of things. Their expressions are always drawn on point and that makes this one of the best art I've seen so far. The downside to that is of course, slow updates. But every chapter is always worth it, even an omake.

Characters:
This is truly the best part of this manga. I love mangas with good character development in it (See Horimiya) and this one ranks no lower. They're who I'd imagine the characters of Horimiya to grow up into. The interactions between the four main characters and later, the fifth addition to their gang really is amazing. It makes me want to jump into their world. And of course, I... sort of... have a thing for Koyanagi Hanako.

Enjoyment:
Definitely a 10 for enjoyment in my book. I love this series.

Overall:
I'd recommend this series to pretty much anyone who has spent at least some time reading manga or watching anime. The waiting game is a little annoying but every chapter makes up for it. It ticked off all of the boxes for me and hopefully continues to do that in the future.

Thanks Guys. Now I'm off to reread this again.

Sweet and funny, this manga is perfect for older readers who want something a cut above the average shoujo manga.  The gorgeous artwork and sweet story make this appealing to shoujo fans, while the older cast and relatable otaku comedy set it apart.  

Story
The story follows two otaku couples as they navigate their relationship and get into funny situations.  Sometimes the story consists of quick skits that highlight a character's quirk.  At other times the story is completely serious, when characters confront problems in their relationship or have to clear up a misunderstanding.  It's mostly a decent-paced rom-com, but new characters and situations are introduced to keep things interesting. 
 
Art
SUPERB.  The art is detailed, gorgeous, and all the characters are so attractive.  The layout of the panels on the page is very aesthetically pleasing.  They're never jammed, with plenty of "breathing room" that's easy on the eyes.  I can't say enough about how good the paneling is.  Sometimes I just flip through the pages to re-experience the art, it's that good.  

Character
All of the four main characters are otakus in different ways.  If you're reading this, chances are you're a bit of an otaku yourself, so I guarantee you'll have a character to relate to, if not all of them.  The comedy of the (dysfunctional) lives of otaku are balanced well by wholesomeness and healthy relationships.  Otaku can be weird, but so can everyone, and at the end of the day they're people who face normal problems (as well as otaku ones).  Our characters face doubts, overcome obstacles, fight and make up, and become more aware of themselves as the series progresses.  In addition to the four main characters, there is another couple whose relationship starts developing later, and is indeed still developing.  Can I just say, it's one of the cutest things in the series!

Enjoyment/Overall
I enjoyed reading Wotakoi so much.  I also watched the anime, but I think the manga is superior in terms of artwork and pacing.  The manga is also able to deliver jokes better, as you can see simultaneously what the characters are saying vs. what they are thinking.  If you're coming here from the anime, I encourage you to read the manga, as there is material that the anime left out.  

Finally ,a romantic group I can route for .And their all otakus.

So this is basically a story of two workers meeting for the first time since middle school working in the same company and through weird circumstances , they decide to start dating.Yea, it might no me much to go on, but after getting that curve ball out of the way, this is when the manga starts to become awesome.

So the characters are your basic- Moody gamer, short anime chick,otaku-shy tough guy and glasses cosplay girl and this manga makes the most of it. The former and the later are probably some of the best and funniest couples I have ever read. The personal moments are downright touching. The references and callbacks feel really interwoven.Hard to believe that this manga was created on pixiv hobby, because its too good.

I've been looking so long for a comic this funny and this romantic. If you want to see an okatu style romance story with a lot of heart.This is your cup of tea

Story: 10/10
Art: 10/10
Character: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10

I really liked the characters they had lot in common but different personalities i really loved kabakura and hanako. I honestly wish that there was more chapters but sadly there wasn't ill hope for more in the future i finished this manga in under 3-4 days. Im glad i wasted a whole spring break on it honestly best idea ever. Loved how most couples had their issues and kou finally being more open instead of freaking out hope i see that side more :) The comedy was the main thing that kept me going in that manga for sure but so did the romance. I loved how they didn't really make the story extremely boring i loved how narumi and hirotaka are childhood friends and i also really liked the fact that hanako and kabakura fought but loved how they also had a sweet side really loved SPOILER (their wedding) for sure 10/10

If you are looking for an office romantic-comedy without the "mature" content in the way, then this manga is a very good choice.

The story revolves around 2 couples. All 4 of them are "otaku/nerd" they are not passionate about the same thing, everyone is into different things like gaming, cosplaying and anime/manga.

The story is generally about the silly crisis faced by our 4 protagonists in their day-to-day life, thus slice-of-life & comedy is what the main focus of the manga is and it does very well at that.

The characters may look like normal shoujo manga cast, but there is more to their personalities than they appear. One couple is a newly formed couple and the other is a couple that has been together for many years, they will fight over every little thing, still their relationship is very strong.

apart from these 4 people there are hardly no other supporting characters, later in the manga 2 more characters were introduced and their stories/relationships were also explored.

On the whole wotaku ni koi wa muzukashii promises a lot of entertainment with refreshing characters, in a unique(4 nerds in office) setting.

ATTENTION: OTAKUS OF ALL TYPES, THIS IS THE ROMCOM YOU'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR!!

This is definitely a slice of life/romcom manga... if you're looking for a linear plot, this probably isn't for you. But if you don't mind somewhat random scenarios, and you're somewhat of an otaku, I highly recommend this manga.

Story: 7.5
I would give the story a better rating, but I'm only 19 chapters in (currently caught up). It's definitely slice of life, but it remains relevant to the previous chapters, as well as remaining relevant to everyday life, AS WELL as being a story with a full cast of otakus. It's entertaining, it's hilarious, it's sweet, it's cringy, and it's a perfect balance of all of the above.

Art: 7
I think that the art is good. It's simple, clean, angular, and nice to look at. Nothing particularly intricate or detailed, but I enjoy it. Especially in comedic scenes!

Character: 8
I love each and every character involved in this manga. There are four main characters, and for each one you are provided with a satisfying amount of character development and description. They're all hilarious in their own way; I enjoy the simple complexity of their character makeups'.

Enjoyment: 8.5
I thoroughly enjoy reading this series. Like I said, all otakus and lovers of good romcoms should check this out.

Overall: 8.5

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii follows two couples, and close friends, who work desk jobs at an unnamed company. Very different on the outside, each of them are united by the fact that they are an 'Otaku'.

The term otaku is greatly overused in western pop-culture. To be clear, the definition I will be working with is: 'a young person who is obsessed with computers or particular aspects of popular culture to the detriment of their social skills.'

That being said, calling our MC's otaku is misleading. Each has social skills, and indeed, all are very popular at work, and 3 out of the 4 were very popular growing up, with non being 'picked on' at any point in their lives (that we've been shown). Their otaku-ness stems from their hobbies.

Nifuji (boy 1) is obsessed with video games, and is shown to be a master of all games, no matter the genre. Momose (girl 1) is a fujoshi (girl who enjoys Yaoi or male-on-male relationships/sex) and even draws her own doujinshi which she sells at conventions. Koyanagi (girl 2) is a cosplay fanatic and her boyfriend Kabakura (boy 2) is the most 'normal' of all four MC's and serves mostly as the straight man/foil to the eccentricity of the others.

Story: the story is mostly a string of random events, dates, hangouts, etc - that take place in the lives of our four MC's. Each story is well told, and they are connected to the larger 'plot' which is seemingly the growth of the relationships between the four characters.

Art: Fantastic. It's clean and cool. The art is reminiscent of Horimiya, in that both use a very minimalist and realist Shojo art style that proportions the characters close to reality.

Character: The characters are mostly simple tropes and cliche's. However each have fleshed out backgrounds and personalities that come to the surface in more serious moments.

Enjoyment: Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii is a comedy before it is a romance. If you wanted a romance to read with comedy sprinkled throughout give Horimiya, Hiyokoi, or 3D kanojo a read first. That being said, it is a fun comedy, which is all you can really ask for. It does have a few genuinely sweet moments to it, but that isn't what the manga is about.

Overall: Enjoyable read and does everything it seeks to well. That being said, it's directly competing with what I would consider to be titans of its genre including: Horimiya, Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu, and Ouran Koukou Host Club. Compared to those manga, Wotaku ni koi wa Muzukashii's flat characters, and uninspired setting causes it to fall short.

Story: 6
Art: 10
Character: 7
Enjoyment: 8
Overall: 8

I not a native english speaker, sry :D
I really wanted to give 10/10 to this manga, I came from the anime with the expectation that it would deliver something MUCH superior to what the shoujos of the last decade can deliver, a less fanciful and equally beautiful story. Mostly it was delivered, but in MY OPINION (and I make that clear) I believe it has lost focus.
*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Story 9:
At the time it was written it was an unexplored theme, I was hooked by the anime and plunged headlong into the manga. Otakus dealing with his comical situations, Hirotaka being the exception the rule ignoring all criticism from society and showing that he can have a good time even if he lives in that honest way. Beautiful, if it weren't all that happened after chapter 31, I'll explain later (and that's why I didn't get 10).

Art 7:
It is not beautiful, but it has its moments, when they are key frames, the features receive a special treatment and it becomes something fantastic. But overall it is just good.

Character 8:
Here begins my most severe criticisms. I loved the impression that Hirotaka is in love and Momose falls in love during the plot (in real life it is like that, the 2 are never on the same frequency, it is a maturation), it was great. It was fantastic to see how in the climax Hirotaka managed to take the lead in the situation (as in the kissing situation during the night of their turn), but that was lost. The story is about otakus and mainly, about Hirotaka being an otaku who is not ashamed of what he is and can handle situations in his own way, but that was lost after chapter 31. He who seemed to be a well resolved adult and who thought he was childish only in the sentimental issue, started to act totally childish. It wasn't a progression or character development for me, it was a regression. Momose and the other characters are doing very well, their developments look OK, but there is something that makes me upset, THIS is looking like an elementary school shoujo. They are 26 years old, Momose isn’t even a virgin anymore, but they can’t overcome the hand-holding part after 45 chapters with a single kiss across the sleeve. Honestly, this is a joke. And there could be no kissing, but seeing the relationship mature, as with Kabakura and Koyanagi. For Hirotaka and Momose it still looks like the same relationship of a covered child and a zealous mother and Nao arrived to make this situation even worse (and it is not Nao's fault). So these two points that are taken away from me are the sole responsibility of the regression of the character Hirotaka (IN MY OPINION).

Enjoyment 8:
If you can take a shoujo that was supposed to be more mature (with respect to the age of the characters that all exceed 25 years old), but it seems like a first high school romance, it's really a fantastic work (and yes, I don't regret ).