I'm in love with this shoujo and, at the same time, I've never been so down LOL I need a Mizukawa-sempai! (ಡ‸ಡ)
SPOILER FREE REVIEW~
The love story between Serina and Mizukawa starts in an unusual way, as they begin to communicate through scratches on the girl's desk. It's clear that FMC is naive as she falls in love with the boy without even knowing anything about him.
The start of their relationship is a bit bumpy and it's amusing how we can empathize with Serina. I think many girls have experienced having a crush on someone at school who didn't even know they existed at first LOL Our FMC is pure and deeply in love and it's enjoyable to witness her wholehearted dedication to this affection. Most of the misunderstandings are caused by her immaturity, which is typical for a girl her age. It's nice to see her gradually growing.
Mizukawa is the gentleman you only read about in books. Despite his direct approach, he's incredibly skilled at communicating and expressing his feelings. He also pays great attention to Serina's feelings, something we're not used to seeing in shoujo manga in general. Several misunderstandings (clichés in this type of story) get resolved in just a few pages because Sempai ensures there are no misconceptions between them. His maturity is something touching and he cares for her in a way that's really heartwarming to read. His words are realistic but straightforward. As an adult, I was genuinely surprised that the author portrayed so much mature behavior in him while simultaneously retaining all the beloved clichés we like: jealousy, desire and more (in the end, he is just a teenage too).
The manga is relatively short and since it's already concluded, you can follow this love story from start to finish. I highly recommend it to all shoujo fans; it's refreshing to see a title where the protagonists are so realistic and grow together. For me, "You Got Me, Sempai!" is like a guide on how relationships should be. How many things could be resolved just by talking? I wish I had read it when I was still a teenager LOL
The story doesn't have many dramatic points and few plot twists, but it's a pleasant read and an emotional portrayal of adolescence and how we grow.
I didn't rate this manga as 5 stars only because some events that happened in the story really fell short, but, in general, I loved this romance between a girl and her sempai. We need more Mizukawa-sempais in the world.