Lovely Complex
Encyclopedia
, also known as Lovely Complex, is a romantic comedy
shōjo manga by Aya Nakahara
. It was published by Shueisha
in Bessatsu Margaret
from 2001 to 2006 and collected in 17 tankōbon
volumes. The series is about the romance between a tall girl and a short boy who are treated as a comedy duo by their classmates. In 2004, it received the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award
for shōjo.
The story has been adapted as a live-action movie released in 2006, a 24-episode television anime
series broadcast in 2007, and an adventure game released for PlayStation 2
released in 2006. Two drama CDs have also been produced. The manga and the live-action movie are licensed in North America by Viz
.
A sequel series called Love★Com D (or Lovely Complex Deluxe) began serialization in the May 2009 issue of the bimonthly shōjo manga magazine Deluxe Margaret, focusing on Risa's younger brother.
. The girl, Risa Koizumi, is 172 centimetre tall—much taller than the average Japanese
girl. The boy, Atsushi Ōtani, is 156 centimetre—way below the height
of the average Japanese boy. Because of this, they are called the "All Hanshin Kyojin" after a popular comedy duo that has a similar height difference.
During summer school, a very tall student named Ryouji Suzuki (from another class) shows up and Risa immediately falls for him because he is tall. There is a girl that Atsushi likes as well, so Risa and Atsushi decide to put aside their differences and help each other get their love interests. But as they get to know each other better, Risa's feelings for Atsushi begin to blossom, and her love life gets complicated from there on.
One notable fact about Love★Com is that instead of speaking standard Japanese, almost all characters speak in Kansai-ben
. Many native Osakan voice actors are employed in the anime. While having one or two characters speaking Kansai-ben is common in many anime shows, having all characters doing so is unusual in media produced for a nationwide audience.
Risa's senpai
Dancing Yoshiko
. It was initially serialized in Japan by Shueisha
in the shōjo (aimed at teenage girls) manga magazine Bessatsu Margaret
from September 2001 to December 2006. The untitled chapters were collected in 17 tankōbon
volumes. The manga is licensed in English in North America by Viz Media
, with 16 volumes published as of January 2010. The Viz edition is licensed for distribution in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment
, which released volume one in May 2008. The series is also licensed in France by Delcourt
, in Italy by Planet Manga, in Mexico by Grupo Editorial Vid
, in Spain by Planeta DeAgostini
, in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing, in Hungary
by Mangafan
and in Vietnam by TVM Comics
.
as Atsushi Ōtani. It was released in theaters on 2006-07-15, and on DVD on 2007-01-01. A subtitled DVD was released in English in North America by Viz Media
on 2008-02-19.
and directed by Konosuke Uda
, with music by Hironosuke Sato and character designs by Hideaki Maniwa. The opening theme songs were by Tegomass
(episodes 1–13) and "Hey! Say!
" by Hey! Say! 7 (episodes 14–24); the ending themes were by Tegomass (episodes 1–13) and "Bon Bon" by Hey! Say! 7 (episodes 14–24). It was broadcast on TBS
, CBC
, and MBS
from 7 April 2007 to 29 September 2007.
The Italian distributor Dynit
licensed the anime for a DVD release.
>
Episode Title
for shōjo manga.
The English edition of Love★Com has been favorably reviewed, with praise especially for Nakahara's comedic timing, sympathetic characters, and deft depictions of emotions. A reviewer at Anime News Network
praised it as "the standard by which all other modern romantic comedies should be measured" for its handling of the range of its characters' emotions. The first volume was named by the Young Adult Library Services Association
as among the best graphic novels for teens for 2007.
The live-action movie of Love★Com was named by Young Adult Library Services Association
as one of 16 movies that are 2009 Fabulous Films for Young Adults on the theme of coming of age
around the world.
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
shōjo manga by Aya Nakahara
Aya Nakahara
is a Japanese manga artist. She won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga for Love Com.-External links:*...
. It was published by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
in Bessatsu Margaret
Bessatsu Margaret
, or for short, is a shōjo manga magazine published monthly in Japan by Shueisha. It is targeted at girls aged roughly 12-17. It is a spinoff of the magazine Margaret.-Current:*360° Material - Touko Minami*Acanthus - Izumi Yamaguchi...
from 2001 to 2006 and collected in 17 tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes. The series is about the romance between a tall girl and a short boy who are treated as a comedy duo by their classmates. In 2004, it received the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award
Shogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga since 1955 and features candidates from a number of publishers.The current award categories are:...
for shōjo.
The story has been adapted as a live-action movie released in 2006, a 24-episode television anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series broadcast in 2007, and an adventure game released for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
released in 2006. Two drama CDs have also been produced. The manga and the live-action movie are licensed in North America by Viz
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
.
A sequel series called Love★Com D (or Lovely Complex Deluxe) began serialization in the May 2009 issue of the bimonthly shōjo manga magazine Deluxe Margaret, focusing on Risa's younger brother.
Plot
Love★Com is a love story between a boy and a girl in Sakai, OsakaSakai, Osaka
is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara, from Minamikawachi District, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in...
. The girl, Risa Koizumi, is 172 centimetre tall—much taller than the average Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
girl. The boy, Atsushi Ōtani, is 156 centimetre—way below the height
Human height
Human height is the distance from the bottom of the feet to the top of the head in a human body standing erect.When populations share genetic background and environmental factors, average height is frequently characteristic within the group...
of the average Japanese boy. Because of this, they are called the "All Hanshin Kyojin" after a popular comedy duo that has a similar height difference.
During summer school, a very tall student named Ryouji Suzuki (from another class) shows up and Risa immediately falls for him because he is tall. There is a girl that Atsushi likes as well, so Risa and Atsushi decide to put aside their differences and help each other get their love interests. But as they get to know each other better, Risa's feelings for Atsushi begin to blossom, and her love life gets complicated from there on.
One notable fact about Love★Com is that instead of speaking standard Japanese, almost all characters speak in Kansai-ben
Kansai-ben
The is a group of Japanese dialects in the Kansai region of Japan. In technical term,it is called ; Kansai is also known as "Kinki", hence the alternative term. They are typified by the speech of Osaka, the major city of Kansai, which is referred to specifically as Osaka-ben...
. Many native Osakan voice actors are employed in the anime. While having one or two characters speaking Kansai-ben is common in many anime shows, having all characters doing so is unusual in media produced for a nationwide audience.
Characters
- Drama role by: Ema Fujisawa,
- The protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, Risa Koizumi is not your average Japanese high school student. Standing 172 centimetre, Risa's height is well above that of most Japanese girls her age (the average height for a female is 158 centimetre) Ironically, her surname means 'small fountain'. She and other characters compare her to a giraffeGiraffeThe giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
. Risa can be impulsive and strong-willed at times, and is rarely willing to display her softer side. She had a crush on Suzuki before he started dating Chiharu. In the beginning of the series, Risa is 170 centimetre but she gains 2 cm (0.78740157480315 in) in height to become 172 centimetre. - Risa starts developing feelings for Ōtani and soon admits to herself that she likes him. She then starts trying to confess. Failing the first time, Nobuko and Nakao try to help, Nobuko often giving Risa advice on what to do. Finally she very directly tells him. She immediately regrets it, and tells Ōtani to pretend it never happened, but in spite of herself she tells Ōtani once again that she likes him. Ōtani responds that he couldn't see her as a girlfriend yet, so her new goal is to make Ōtani regret that and make him like her as well. Eventually they start going out.
- Drama role by: Teppei KoikeTeppei Koikeis an actor and singer from Japan. He was born in Ōsakasayama, Osaka Prefecture. He belongs to the production company Burning Productions and is a member of the singer-songwriter duo WaT with his partner, Eiji Wentz.- History :2001...
, , Voice actor for game/drama CD: Takahiro SakuraiTakahiro Sakuraiis a voice actor who was born in Aichi. He is a member of 81 Produce; his height is .Many of his roles are handsome men. However, he has also voiced reluctant heroes as well as the occasional villain... - Atsushi Ōtani is one of the main characters. He is very short for a boy, standing 156 centimetre. The average height for a male in Japan is 172 centimetre. Like Koizumi, Ōtani's surname (roughly, "big valley") is a pun on his diminutive stature, and he can be thoughtless and rude; at heart, however, he is kind and a little silly. Ōtani is also the star player of the school basketball team.
- His ex-girlfriend is Mayu Kanzaki, the manager of his middle-school basketball team. She broke up with him for a much taller boyfriend, and this is one of the reasons Ōtani is sensitive about his height, but he later finds out that wasn't the reason she broke up with him, it was because she was in love with someone else already who just happened to be tall. He doesn't know quite yet how he feels about Risa, and only responds that he can't see her as a girlfriend (at the moment) when Risa confesses her feelings. But later, he realizes that he does care for her, and he kisses her. Later on in the series, Ōtani gets the wrong idea when Risa keep doing suspicious things with her co-worker Kohori, and then breaks up with her. However, after seeing how devoted she is to him, Ōtani reconsiders and they make up on Christmas EveChristmas EveChristmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
.
- Drama role by: Nami TamakiNami Tamakiis a Japanese pop singer. She has various commercial tie-ins with the anime and games industry, and has also performed in a stage musical and a movie. Her musical influences include American singers such as Britney Spears, Madonna, and Janet Jackson....
, - Fashionable and charming, Nobu is Risa's best friend. She is generally wiser than Risa or Chiharu in the ways of love, and is always ready to offer her advice. She's mostly the one who sets up all the 'alone time' moments with Risa and Ōtani, but it usually ends up failing and Risa goes back to her for comfort. She's utterly in love with her boyfriend, Nakao, and is always calling him her 'honey', 'darling', and 'baby'.
- Drama role by: Yusuke Yamazaki, , Voice actor for game/drama CD: Kenjiro TsudaKenjiro Tsudais a Japanese voice actor and actor from Osaka Prefecture. He works at Stardust Promotion as an actor and Mediarte Entertainment Works as a seiyu.-Anime:*Air *Air Gear *Ashita no Nadja...
- Nobu's boyfriend and Ōtani's best friend. Considerate, sensitive, mild-mannered and easygoing. Nakao is absolutely dedicated to Nobu, and when he is not playing basketball with Ōtani, he can usually be found helping with her match-making schemes.
- Drama role by: Risa KudoRisa Kudois a Japanese model and actress. She is best known outside Japan for an appearance in an episode of the Nippon Television series Haken no Hinkaku in 2007 and the films Love Letter Ao-renka and Rabu Kon in 2006, and Sleeping Flower in 2005.She was a model on the game "Finder Love", were she can...
, - One of Risa's closest friends, Chiharu has such a shy, demure personality that she fears most boys her own age. Ōtani once harbored a crush on her (she resembles Kanzaki, his ex-girlfriend, or vice-versa), but Chiharu instead fell for the gentle Suzuki. The two are now a couple. When everybody starts making college plans, Suzuki and Chiharu applied for the same college, but Suzuki got rejected. He sadly tells Chiharu somebody else would be able to protect her. For the first time, Chiharu breaks out of her shy character and violently lifts up a desk and throws at him (narrowly missing), frustrated that Suzuki thinks he can be replaced. They later make up and Suzuki promises to join Chiharu in her new school the next year.
- Drama role by: Hiro Mizushima, , Voice actor for game/drama CD: Masaya OnosakaMasaya OnosakaMasaya Onosaka , born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.-TV Anime:*Agent Aika *Angelic Layer '...
- Chiharu's boyfriend. Suzuki's cool demeanor is often mistaken for standoffishness, and so he has few friends. Oblivious to Risa's crush on him, he develops feelings for Chiharu, and eventually asks her out. Like Chiharu, Suzuki is shy and easily embarrassed. When failed to get into the same university as Chiharu, he promises to try again the year after.
- , Voice actor for game/drama CD: Ryotaro OkiayuRyotaro Okiayuis a Japanese voice actor, who was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, and raised in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture. He has been active since 1989, and is currently affiliated with Aoni Production....
- A handsome, effeminate young man who developed a childhood crush on Risa when she defended him from a gang of bullies. Though he is popular with many of the other girls (dating seven at a time and towards chapter 52 dates 2 more for a total of nine), he says it's all preparation for when he goes out with Risa, but she always rejects him. According to Risa his grandmother is EnglishEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is also suggested that he might have a crush on Seiko.
- Drama role by: Mio Kato,
- She is the ex-girlfriend of Ōtani. She and Chiharu look very similar, which is the most likely reasons that Ōtani had a crush on Chiharu. They started dating in middle-school, and she was the manager for the school basketball team. She broke up with him, leaving him completely heartbroken, because she was in love with someone else who was tall, causing his inferiority complexInferiority complexAn inferiority complex, in the fields of psychology and psychoanalysis, is a feeling that one is inferior to others in some way. Such feelings can arise from an imagined or actual inferiority in the afflicted person...
. - She invited Ōtani to the team Christmas party, and though Ōtani accepts, he ends up going with Risa to the Umibōzu concert instead. She then visited Ōtani's school to see him, but encountered Risa and Nobu. Risa is convinced that Ōtani is still in love with her, so she goes to clear up a misunderstanding. It is then that Mayu tells him that it was not because of his height that she broke up with him. However, she appears again later, after having broken up with her boyfriend. When she asks to meet up with again, he says "Sorry, I can't because if I do there'll be an idiot who'll cry."
- Drama role by: Susumu TerajimaSusumu Terajimais a Japanese actor who has appeared in over 100 films, 15 television commercials, three PVs, and numerous television dramas in a career spanning over 20 years. He rarely is the star of the films he is in but he is widely respected for taking every job seriously and diving into his work,...
, - A popular rapper that both Risa and Ōtani are avid fans of, leading to Nobu's suggestion that the two are compatible. Risa and Ōtani accidentally cross paths with Umibōzu while on a class trip, and learn that he is actually a devoted family man, with a wife and son with a similar story of how they became a couple. He is named after the mythological creature UmibōzuUmibozuis a spirit in Japanese folklore. The Umibōzu is said to live in the ocean and capsize the ship of anyone who dares speak to it. This spirit's name, which combines the character for "sea" with the character of "Buddhist monk," is possibly related to the fact that the Umibōzu is said to have a...
due to his bald head.
- Drama role by: Shosuke TaniharaShosuke Taniharais a Japanese actor probably best known outside of Japan for his portrayal of Riki Fudoh in Fudoh: The New Generation.Tanihara hosts Tokyo Twenty-Four Living Supported by FLET’S Hikari, a podcast produced by TOKYO FM...
, - Student teacher at Risa and Ōtani's school. Maitake, who prefers the nickname "Maity" or "Mighty", is taller than Risa and extraordinarily good-looking. He bears a resemblance to "Cain-sama", a character in one of Risa's favorite visual novelVisual novelA is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
s, and soon acquires a legion of female fans. Gaining affection from Risa, Ōtani soon becomes jealous and quickly starts to realize his feelings for her. It is later revealed he has a fiance - named Jody - much to the disappointment of his fan club - and that he is Haruka's cousin.
- Homeroom teacher at Risa and Ōtani's class. He gave Risa and Atsushi the nickname "All Hanshin Kyojin."
- Ōtani's next door neighbor. She is in love with Ōtani and brings him milk every day in hopes that he would one day grow taller. She is about the same height as Risa. Mimi harbors a burning hatred and jealousy for Risa because (despite her having the same height issue as Mimi) she had successfully won Ōtani's heart. She comically switches between her alter egos, acting sweet towards Ōtani, yet sour to Risa behind his back. Eventually, she accepts that Ōtani likes Koizumi but swears that she will someday take Ōtani from Koizumi.
Risa's senpai
Senpai
and are an essential element of Japanese seniority-based status relationships, similar to the way that family and other relationships are decided based on age, with even twins being divided into elder and younger sibling...
- Drama role by: Shugo OshinariShugo Oshinariis a Japanese actor best known for his roles in the controversial Battle Royale II: Requiem and Shunji Iwai's film, All About Lily Chou-Chou ....
Dancing Yoshiko
- Drama role by: Eiji WentzEiji Wentzis a Japanese singer, entertainer, and actor. He is a member of the singer-songwriter duo WaT, and belongs to the production company Burning Productions.-Early career:...
- A young student who works part time with Risa in Ikebe. He is notably shorter than her, although slightly taller than Ōtani (158 cm.), and has distinctive black hair with a red streak. Risa soon discovers that he is also an avid Umibouzu fan. He very soon develops feelings for Risa, who admits to herself that she finds him 'cute'. Against her better judgment, Risa attends an Umibōzu concert with Kohori which leads to complications in her relationship with Ōtani. He even proclaims his love for Risa, which causes Ōtani to give him a right hook. Around chapter 60 in the manga, Risa's classmate Abe is shown to have a crush on Kohori and is dating her.
- A blonde who has a large crush on Ōtani. She is transgender and was assigned male at birth, and states that God placed her in a wrong body. Prefers to be called Seiko instead of Seishiro (birth name) because it sounds more feminine. She kissed Ōtani to confess her feelings but while she is tending to Ōtani's injury in the school infirmary, Ōtani got a shock when he found out Seiko's birth sex, but still chooses to be her friend. In the manga, she has a crush on Kohori and confessed to him in the same manner she did with Ōtani. When Seiko was planning on confessing to a man who saved her from a creeper, her voice became deeper and not "cute", therefore Seiko cut her long hair and decided to become "a dangerous man", choosing Otani as her master. But then it seemed that only a cold was making Seiko's voice change, and she went back to her chirpy, female self.
- The manager in charge at the restaurant where Risa works. She wears glasses and is quite nosy. When she is intoxicated, she turns wild, and does things that she won't remember the next day.
Creation and development
According to the afterward of volume 6, Ōtani ("big valley") was going to be named Nakatani ("middle valley"), but Aya Nakahara changed her mind because naka was "too middlin'."Manga
The manga was written and illustrated by Aya NakaharaAya Nakahara
is a Japanese manga artist. She won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga for Love Com.-External links:*...
. It was initially serialized in Japan by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
in the shōjo (aimed at teenage girls) manga magazine Bessatsu Margaret
Bessatsu Margaret
, or for short, is a shōjo manga magazine published monthly in Japan by Shueisha. It is targeted at girls aged roughly 12-17. It is a spinoff of the magazine Margaret.-Current:*360° Material - Touko Minami*Acanthus - Izumi Yamaguchi...
from September 2001 to December 2006. The untitled chapters were collected in 17 tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes. The manga is licensed in English in North America by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
, with 16 volumes published as of January 2010. The Viz edition is licensed for distribution in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
, which released volume one in May 2008. The series is also licensed in France by Delcourt
Delcourt (publisher)
Delcourt is a French publishing house that specializes in comics and manga.It was founded in 1986 through the fusion of the magazines Charlie Mensuel and Pilote...
, in Italy by Planet Manga, in Mexico by Grupo Editorial Vid
Grupo Editorial Vid
Grupo Editorial Vid is a Mexican comic, manga and books publisher. It was founded in the early 1940s as Editorial Argumentos ....
, in Spain by Planeta DeAgostini
Planeta DeAgostini
Planeta DeAgostini is a Spanish-Italian publisher and a subsidiary of Grupo Planeta specializing in collectable books, sold in pieces, periodically through newsstands. It has its headquarters in Barcelona....
, in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing, in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
by Mangafan
Mangafan
Mangafan is a Hungarian manga publisher, located in Szigetszentmiklós near Budapest, Hungary. It was founded in 2006. Since May, 2007, they also publish a monthly magazine dealing with manga, anime and Japanese culture, called Mondo.-Published manga:...
and in Vietnam by TVM Comics
TVM Comics
TVM Comics is a publisher in Vietnam, headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City. The company was founded in 2007 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Vietnamese media corporation TVM Corp...
.
Movie
Love★Com was adapted as a live-action movie directed by Kitaji Ishikawa with screenplay by Osamu Suzuki. It starred Ema Fujisawa as Risa Koizumi and Teppei KoikeTeppei Koike
is an actor and singer from Japan. He was born in Ōsakasayama, Osaka Prefecture. He belongs to the production company Burning Productions and is a member of the singer-songwriter duo WaT with his partner, Eiji Wentz.- History :2001...
as Atsushi Ōtani. It was released in theaters on 2006-07-15, and on DVD on 2007-01-01. A subtitled DVD was released in English in North America by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
on 2008-02-19.
Anime
The television anime was produced by Toei AnimationToei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
and directed by Konosuke Uda
Konosuke Uda
is a director of anime.He directed several of the One Piece works created by Toei Animation, including the television series and the similarly titled films...
, with music by Hironosuke Sato and character designs by Hideaki Maniwa. The opening theme songs were by Tegomass
Tegomass
is a Japanese duo consisting of NEWS members Yuya Tegoshi and Takahisa Masuda to help promote Johnny's Entertainment internationally. The group's name comes from the merging of Tegoshi's and Masuda's names.-History:...
(episodes 1–13) and "Hey! Say!
Hey! Say!
"Hey! Say!" is the first single from the Johnny's Junior group Hey! Say! 7. The songs Hey! Say! and BON BON are both opening and ending themes for the anime Lovely Complex.The single is released in two editions; limited and regular...
" by Hey! Say! 7 (episodes 14–24); the ending themes were by Tegomass (episodes 1–13) and "Bon Bon" by Hey! Say! 7 (episodes 14–24). It was broadcast on TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
, CBC
Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
is a regional radio and television service serving Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its radio service is affiliated with the Japan Radio Network and its television service affiliated with the Japan News Network and the TBS Network.-Radio:Frequency...
, and MBS
Mainichi Broadcasting System
is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...
from 7 April 2007 to 29 September 2007.
The Italian distributor Dynit
Dynit
Dynit SRL is one of the main Italian manga and anime publishers. It was founded in 1995 by Francesco Di Sanzo, Claudia Cangini, Francesco Bombardini, Paolo Nascetti, Saetti SRL and Federico Colpi and its original name was Dynamic Italia SRL. The name was changed following a litigation between Colpi...
licensed the anime for a DVD release.
Reception
Love★Com received the 2004 Shogakukan Manga AwardShogakukan Manga Award
The is one of Japan's major manga awards, sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga since 1955 and features candidates from a number of publishers.The current award categories are:...
for shōjo manga.
The English edition of Love★Com has been favorably reviewed, with praise especially for Nakahara's comedic timing, sympathetic characters, and deft depictions of emotions. A reviewer at Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
praised it as "the standard by which all other modern romantic comedies should be measured" for its handling of the range of its characters' emotions. The first volume was named by the Young Adult Library Services Association
Young Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
as among the best graphic novels for teens for 2007.
The live-action movie of Love★Com was named by Young Adult Library Services Association
Young Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
as one of 16 movies that are 2009 Fabulous Films for Young Adults on the theme of coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
around the world.