Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
Ryoko knows what she wants in a man. He has to be athletic, kind, smart, caring, and dark haired. Although she has never had a boyfriend, she knows that her first kiss will be with the man she falls in love with. Unfortunately, instead of finding "Prince Charming," Ryoko met Ryunosuke and her world was turned upside down. Although Ryunosuke meets her standards, there is one small problem: Ryunosuke is a host. Although Ryoko believes that Ryunosuke could never be serious about his feelings for her, there is something about him that she just cannot shake and after meeting Inaba, she starts to realize that maybe Ryunosuke is the real deal; in fact; the more that Ryunosuke pursues her, the harder Ryoko falls for him. After a few bumps and surprises, Ryoko knows that Ryunosuke is the one she wants, but the question that remains is if she is willing to accept his career choice as a host where women pay him money to date them. Just when things could not get anymore complicated, Ryunosuke decides that he will quit being a host for her, but quitting a host job is not quite that easy. When Ryoko accidentally runs into the acting president of the host club, she accepts a bargain that she may not be able to fulfill. If she doesn't deliver, not only will Ryunosuke have to pay for her failure, but jeopardize their relationship at the same time. Who said love was simple?
     
Critical Evaluation:
It's amazing how love can not only change a person, but change everything around us. For Ryunosuke, love is nothing but a means to and end and a large pay check. However, when he met Ryoko, he learned that love is real and that is makes us do funny things. I will definitely say that this manga is super silly and sweet at the same time. Although I am not a huge fan of the artwork, the storyline is interesting simply because everything that could go wrong, literally did go wrong. Although Ryoko is a walking contradiction, Ryunosuke is the reality check she needs. Granted, Ryoko misjudged him quite a bit, she learns that Ryunosuke is very different from the character he portrays as a host. In fact, he is not only smart and gorgeous, he is very protective and thoughtful of Ryoko's feelings. The main message this story is based on is that we cannot put a price on love, nor we can we put a price on people. The reason why Ryunosuke cannot be let out of his contract is because he is the most popular and most successful host in the club. In other words, his success is what lines the president's pockets, which is why it is not so easy to leave. I do want to state that there is a difference between host and hostess club and prostitution; in the Japanese culture, host clubs are primarily for entertainment although "extra-curricular" activities may occur. Ran, a minor character, does state that she has had intimate relations with Ryunosuke, readers don't know if this is the case. Although Ryunosuke's job is taboo, he loves Ryoko so much that he willing to quit, but the hilarity of it all is when Ryoko makes a deal with the acting president that forces her to put herself in Ryunosuke's shoes. With this agreement, not only does Ryoko gain a little humility, she learns how crazy and lonely this kind of life is. This manga is definitely for the romance fan looking for something out of the ordinary.


Information about the Author:
Sadly, I couldn't find a whole lot about the author so I will keep searching!

Genre:
Teen Romance Manga
 

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up
 
Books Similar to B.O.D.Y.:

• Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watase
• Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori