Imadoki!

Title: Imadoki!

Genre: Romance, shoujo

Author: Yuu Watase

Status: Finished

Story: Imadoki! is the story of Tanpopo Yamazaki who moves to Tokyo to go to the elite Meio High School. Being a farm girl in a rich school environment is tough for her at first but Tanpopo is determined to make friends. She visits her school the day before she is to attend and runs into a boy who is planting a dandelion, tanpopo in japanese, at the school. The next day as Tanpopo is at school and runs into the boy again. This time he gives her the cold shoulder and pulls the dandelion out from the ground in frustration. At the opening ceremonies Tanpopo vows to become friends with the guy, named Koki. Tanpopo starts a gardening club to get even closer to Koki and gains some friends in the process. Overtime Tanpopo changes the snotty Meio Academy for the better.

Characters:
Tanpopo Yamazaki - main protagonist, she seems weak on the outside but on the inside is a very strong person.
Koki Kagyo - rich, his parents funded Meio Academy. He will one day rule his family's empire.
Tsukiko Saionji - comes from a wealty family, is determined to marry into a prestigious family, was once after marrying Koki.
Aoi "Flippy" Kyogoku - his mom is an architect who designed Meio Academy. Flippy is a computer wiz and has also been known to go crazy at times.
Arisa Uchimura - comes from a family of con-artists. She's really tough on the outside but a kind person on the inside. Becomes Tanpopo's friend after she finds out about her pregnancy.
Yoji Kagyo - Koki's older brother. Once was supposed to be next in-line for his family's empire but skipped out on his duties and ran away.
Erika Yanahara - Koki's fiance. She was told her whole life that she would marry Yoji and when he left Koki had to step in. She is cold and will stop at nothing to have Koki all to herself.

Review: Okay, the whole talk about flowers is enough to turn anyone away from this book, but the whole flower story is blended very well into it. The themes in this story are very strong and they cover some deep issues like alcohol, teen pregnancy, abortions, suicide, just to name a few. And the slowly evolving romance between Koki and Tanpopo is sooo cute.

Recommend: If you liked Marmalade Boy and/or Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances then you would like this manga.

Overall I give this manga a 8.5, not the best but very cute. Short and sweet it works in it's own way.