Manga Monday: Getting Closer to You, Vol 1

Title: Getting Closer to You, vol 1
Author/Illustrator: Ruri Kamino
Publisher, Copyright/Release Date: Kodansha, 2022
Price: $10.99
ISBN: 978-1636996615 (EBOOK ONLY)
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Summary and Thoughts: Kaho is obsessed with men with muscles. She follows every sports team at her co-ed school from a distance, with her binoculars and notebook. She meticulously notes muscle mass, ranks who has the best of each muscle group (yes, this manga drops scientific names), and is on the search for the perfect beefcake. The story opens with Kaho’s best friend asking which group is it this time with Kaho saying the basketball team. Rumor has it, the basketball team has a “Muscle Prince” but what she sees is a bunch of different bodied players. Well, until Natsume-sempai finds her and it is beefcake heaven until she passes out from such beauty.

Natsume-sempai figures out, while she’s recovering from her faint, that her weird obsession might actually benefit the basketball team and he asks her to be their manager. What? She agrees and what follows is their budding romance, but also the start of taking the basketball team from zeroes to heroes.

I was intrigued by the description of a girl only ranking a guy by his muscles. My thought was that this is going to be the story of some shallow girl figuring out that there is more to a guy than muscles, but it isn’t entirely that. It’s a story of a girl who has an unhealthy obsession for muscles that actually could lead to a good career and she is absolutely the perfect fit for the basketball team. This shojo is more romance, than sport, but basketball will likely play a larger role later as Kaho is determined to see the team win their first game.

This shojo is just adorable. I was squeeing and laughing a lot over this one. The relationship between Kaho and Natsume moves along at the perfect pace for shojo. He’s patient and knows that deep down, he really likes her, but she’s still blinded by muscles and clueless to the fact that it isn’t entirely his muscles she loves (although that’s a great bonus). They’re a perfect odd couple and I like that this shows a different side of school manga using the lens of sports. I also like the highlights on exercise and building muscles this hints at which makes me feel like we’ll see Kaho develop this into a potential career. Extra bonus is all the shirtless views. Highly recommend if you can purchase the ebook. (Looks like, once again, no print from Kodansha and I’m epically bummed because I’d like this in my personal collection in physical form.)

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Recommended Audience: Teen (high school and YA collections)
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Source: Netgalley