Writer/Artist: Nico Nicholson
Writer: Jamil Stewart
Translator: Matt Trevor
Publisher: American Kodansha
Publication date: November 28, 2023
price: $12.99
grade: 13+
type: Manga (Japan), romance, school life, comedy
Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars (recommended)
If you’ve ever thought “it’s easy to be a new anime fan” then I highly recommend My lovesick life as an otaku born in the 90s go through Nico Nicholson. The series tells the story of Megumi Sato, a 42-year-old divorced mother and secret otaku who takes us back to her high school crush.
Megumi couldn’t believe that anime and manga were now accepted by society. She starts having flashbacks to her teenage years and how she desperately tried to hide the fact that she loved manga and anime. Megumi transfers to a new school, so she takes this as an opportunity to reshape herself. She hopes to make a good first impression, but her introduction surprises the class.
Thankfully, class president Masamune Kaji broke the ice first and talked to her. As she talks to classmates, she begins to wonder if anyone will accept her for who she is. She doesn’t want to be shunned for being an otaku like she was at her previous school, so she hides her interests now.
After taking her to visit the school, her classmates took her to an authentic basketball training ground. She couldn’t help but notice that with his hair, he looked like Rukawa from Slam Dunk. After practice, he offered to take her to the bus stop His fans were furious. As they headed to the station, Kei couldn’t help but make up some scenarios in her head.
They start talking, and Megumi thinks she might have a chance to have a normal high school romance without having to hide that she’s an otaku. She asked him what he thought of otakus, and his answer dashed her hopes. “I despise them.”
Megumi frantically read every shoujo manga she could find for advice, realizing that the only way the heroine could get a happy ending was through hard work. Even though Masamune despised otakus, he didn’t know she was one. All she has to do is hide that part of herself, it should be easy, right?
Anime Trends and Shoujo Tropes
Over the past few years, anime and manga have become increasingly popular. Gone are the days when anime fans had to watch their favorite shows in multiple parts on YouTube. Anime is slowly taking over and its representation can be seen in different industries.
There are many collaborations with fashion brands, such as Dolce&Gabbana x Jujutsu Kaisen or Jimmy Choo x Sailor Moon. In 2023, the NBA Denver Nuggets released their season schedule using the Jiu-Jitsu Clippers Season 1 ending animation as a template. Award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion also incorporates anime references and animation into her latest music video. For her latest release, “Neva Play,” a collaboration with BTS’ RM (Kim Namjoon), the music video blends animations of herself and RM with live-action footage of Meghan. RM’s costume also seems to be inspired by Spike from “Cowboy Bebop.”
After being bullied for liking anime and manga, Megumi couldn’t imagine how popular her otaku interests had become. I love how My Life as a Lovesick 90s Otaku highlights how drastically different being a fan was in the 90s compared to now.
Megumi being an otaku is the perfect way to poke fun at some of the common tropes found in romance stories. Throughout the book, there are moments where Megumi and Masamune are magically alone, and each time Megumi points out how similar her situation is to scenes from shoujo manga.
While a situation like this could be the perfect catalyst for some great romance, I can’t deny that these fabricated moments seem a little cheesy at first. As a 90s otaku, my lovesick life incorporates these moments, and it’s interesting to see Megumi’s inner panic as she is pushed towards Masamune by those forces.
Volume one is a great start to the series. I’m interested to see if Megumi will stay true to herself and eventually share her otaku interests with Masamune and her classmates. I also appreciate that Megumi is 42 years old. Many current romance stories focus on high school or college romances, so seeing an older character is a nice change of pace.
I’m curious to see if there will be any progress in her love life as an adult. Hui mentioned that as an adult, it is difficult for her to love as freely as she did when she was a teenager after going through a divorce. Her daughter pushed her to find love, so I’m excited to see what it’s like for her to fall in love as an adult.
Kodansha America currently has volumes 1 to 4 in print and digital editions, priced at $12.99 (print) or $7.99 (digital). If you’re looking for some 90s nostalgia, I would check out My Life as a Lovesick 90s Otaku. If you’ve read this series, what are your thoughts? Comment below!
