Lovely Complex

Lovely Complex (often abbreviated as LoveCom) is a shoujo (girl's) manga series originally serialized in the Japanese magazine Betsuma. Like most shoujo, its primary focus is romance, though author Aya Nakahara also adds to the mix a fun, unique twist of humour. It ran until December 2006, when the series ended with sixteen volumes. Lovely Complex was the 49th to receive the Shogakukan Manga Award for best shoujo series, and has been adapted into both an anime and a live-action movie (starring Teppei Koike as Atsushi and Ema Fujisawa as Risa) spanning 100 minutes. Additionally, a Playstation 2 game and two drama CDs have also been released.

The series tells us the story of Risa Koizumi and Otani Atsushi; certainly no ordinary pairing. Risa is 172 centimetres tall (a height that is considered tall for Japanese girls) while Otani's height only measures to 156 centimetres (in turn, a height quite short for Japanese boys). Their classmates constantly tease them due to their irregular heights, joking over what a strange-looking couple they'd make if they hooked up (as the boy is usually taller than the girl). Much to their displeasure, they're soon branded as the All Hanshin-Kyojin Team, a popular Japanese comedy duo with the same problem as Atsushi and Risa; but this only fuelled the rivalry between the two.

When Ryouji Suzuki transfers to their class for the summer, it was love at first sight for Risa, as -- gasp! -- he was actually taller than her! Surprisingly, Atsushi agrees to help her win a relationship with Suzuki... on one condition. She in turn had to help him with his own crush, Chiharu Tanaka; who also happens to be one of Risa's best friends. The two put aside their differences for a while, determined to win the hearts of their respective love interests...

...But this is shoujo manga, people. Nothing ever goes as planned.

Soon enough, Risa finds herself falling for, not Suzuki, but Atsushi! Of course, a relationship seems quite impossible for the two, considering their "comedy duo" status and the large gap in height; there's also the fact that Atsushi happens to be the most oblivious guy on the planet. Hilarity ensues while love blooms as the two struggle with their feelings and of course, their height complex.

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