My Lovesick Life as A '90s Otaku follows Megumi as she recalls and relives her school days when she is a crushing on a jock who seems so nice and looks like her favourite character, except the only problem is he hates otakus and she needs to hide her Otaku lifestyle from him and her new school.

This volume was actually so cute and funny. I really enjoyed how bright and fun the vibes were. Even with it covering the lead trying to hide their passions, the brightness still shined through and really kept the tone and everything really light.

I really liked reading this and am so curious for how the story continues. The references and translation notes were so fun as I recognized some of the things I liked when I was younger and even learned about some things that i had no clue about. It was so much fun seeing the female lead and her passions and being able to relate to different points that made it so much more fun.

I'm so intrigued by the cast and was constantly wanting to know more about every character. It starts with Megumi as an adult looking to her daughter being happy as an otaku, so I'm so curious about if we will learn more about the daughter along with all of the people Megumi knew in the 90s.

I think if I were to rank this I'd probably give it around a 4 star. It was super fun and everything and I really want to know more about the story but I don't think I was entirely jumping out of my seat juuuuuuuust yet. I think I would need to read more and be able to see some of the story blossom or the romance bloom before I can fully fall in love with the story. It was a great set up though which makes me still want to read more. This was such a fun and cute introduction to the story and I can't wait for the story to develop.

I absolutely loved this manga!! It's funny, it has character depth, and it touches serious topics like identity and group belonging. I could relate to the struggles of the main character! I would recommend it to anyone who grew up artsy or an otaku.

I can't wait for volume 2!!

1.5/5

Of this volume I will remember the cute drawings and the huuuuuuuge amount of comedy.
Honestly, this wasn't at all a read for me, the comedy seemed very forced and accentuated, as were the interactions.

I don't know, it seemed a little off, the story is not well developed nor narrated.
The characters were okay, but unfortunately the positive aspects weren't enough to save the whole situation...

Eien wirklich amüsante und süße Geschihte über die erste Liebe eines Otakus.

Es gab sehr viele Momente, wo ich laut loslachen musste, da ich mich selber in der Protaganostin wiedererkannt habe.
Die Reihe ist auch sehr süß. Gerne mehr!

Please see my full review in Booklist for a full analysis of this work. Thank you! I appreciate the opportunity to review this manga professionally.

This was cute, a lot of fun and nostalgia and the art style was super quirky! I kind of missed the window of being an otaku in high school as my love for all things Japanese started right after in college but I totally resonated with a lot of this because wanting to fit in was definitely something I could relate to in a big way. This manga really pays homage to the times when liking anime and games was really considered "geeky" and non-mainstream, and it's interesting to think how different things are years on from then.

As for the story, it's nothing super special but it's a nice entertaining read and the potential love story is sweet to see unfold. It'll be interesting to see the main character accept herself a little more haha.

It was a good, funny and enjoyable read. It didn't have anything that stuck with me but it kept me curious to what's coming next and I would recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for letting me read this manga. this story is quite intresting as it schows how a lifestile is shunned by one geneatiion and idealised by the next. the artstyle fits very well with the old style story.

A hilarious manga regarding the difficulties anime fans of the 90s faced and the shame around otaku culture.

Basically your average bully X nerd manga but with a twist involving the love of anime the fmc holds which actually added so much more!

I loved everything about this! The romance! The opening scene of the past Vs present way society looks upon anime fans! The fmcs insecurity and ways of copying! The character arcs!! Just everything! If you want a sweet manga this is THE story for you!

This was hilarious and sweet all at the same time. I think that everyone has dealt with being in school and not fitting in. Or liking something that isn't popular or mainstream and being made fun of for that. This is something that I think almost anyone can relate too. I will 100% be reading the rest of this series as it comes out!

It's really cute and is spot on with the 1990s vibes. It is a really cute story. Looking forward to seeing how it plays out in future volumes.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this arc!!

5/5 stars

This was a hilarious, nostalgic, and relatable manga 🤣🤣 I forgot how isolating it was being a huge nerd growing up. Did that stop me from making it my entire personality and talking about my obsessions with all of my friends? NOPE I MADE THEM WATCH IT WITH ME LOL 😆 this was such a good read, and honestly so fast I didn't think I was even halfway through it when it ended. I can't wait for the next volume!

My Lovesick LIfe as a 9-'s Otaku is a charming manga. I really enjoyed the framing of the story with our main character looking back at her life in high school in the 90s as an otaku after having seen the norming of otaku culture. The characters are cute and I'm interested in seeing more of them as the story goes along. If you're interested in 90's otaku culture with a cute story I would recommend this manga.

This was ok. Megumi relives her school days in 1995, when she was an anime and manga otaku. Desperate to fit in she moves to another school where she can hide her enthusiasm for anime and manga. Fast forward to 2024 and Megumi can’t believe that anime and manga are mainstream and her own daughter doesn’t have to hide. Megumi relives her own high school days.

This was ok with nice artwork. The story continues in volume 2. It is a nice enough manga with memories from high school

Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Once upon a time, it was hard to be a nerd. No matter who you were, you had to hide your interests or you'd be mocked. Welcome to the '90s!

Megumi in 2021 recounts when she was a shy student that hid her otaku love. Then the class president Masamune Kiji throws her a bone by inviting her to lunch. It seems she could open up to him about her love for manga and perhaps get a boyfriend...only for Masamune to reveal that he "despises" otakus. Shaken, and seeing other people laugh at her art, Megumi decides to dedicate herself to a pen pal in fandom and swear off boys, not knowing said pen pal is a boy escaping a military family's reality. And maybe some new friends will help her come out of her shell.

Masamune in the meantime realizes he's developing feelings for Megumi. He's even walking dogs that remind him of her, something he never did before. But he realizes that she's scared of talking to him, or being herself. He has his own reasons for despising otakus, though volume one doesn't go into details. If Masamune wants Megumi to open up, he needs to face his flaws as well.

It's easy to forget that "otaku" didn't used to refer to nerds in general. There was a time you'd have to hide who you were or establish yourself as a weirdo. And Japan had more merchandise with stationery stores (I want to go one day) where you can go wild if you have the money. When you found someone in the wild like you in the States, it was like magic that would never last. Even in the early days of the Internet, it could be hard to find your people.

Volume 2 comes out soon, and I can't wait!

Summary:

Once upon a time, everything nerd-culture was thrown into the realm of Otaku. To be an Otaku was to be extremely uncool. That's the world that Megumi grew up in, so it's strange for her to see this culture have an open moment of resurgence.

You see, she grew up dreading that others would find out her secret. She knew that her crush had strong feelings against people like her, and she was determined to keep this secret safe. It was the only way she could change her life, after all.

Review:

This is such a cute and relatable story! My Lovesick Life as a '90s Otaku Vol. 1 is both humorous and heartbreaking in equal measure. It's perfect for readers looking for a bit of nostalgia, though they might find it more relatable than they like.

Anyone who has ever felt ostracized for their interests will understand Megumi's struggles. This novel shows her struggle between what she likes and how she wants to be perceived (we've all been there!). It's hard to watch at times, if only because we know that suppressing yourself for the sake of others never works out.

The artwork was fun and quirky in equal measure, making it the perfect complement to this story. It's absolutely worth checking out, so get on it!

Highlights:
Manga - Shojo
Romance/Comedy
Relatable

Will I continue the series? Maybe

Thanks to Kodansha Comics and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved the idea of My Lovesick Life as a ’90s Otaku as soon as I heard about it. Nico Nicholson gives us the story of Megumi, a 40-something divorced mother who can’t believe she’s now living in a world where being an otaku isn’t something to be embarrassed about. Anime and manga fans can be open about their likes; heck, they’re even sought after as customers worldwide.

I could relate. We’re living in a similar world when it comes to comic fandom. But the majority of this book is a flashback to Megumi’s teen years, 26 years ago, when she tries her best to fit in and hide her geeky interests so she won’t be thought of as weird or creepy or antisocial.

The middle-aged woman looking back is a clever way to put a different spin on a schoolgirl romance manga, although I wanted to see more of the contrast between Megumi and her daughter. The framing sequences, before Megumi flashes back, are my favorite parts. Still, with young Megumi’s dreams of romance, and her fan friends, there’s a lot of potential for future volumes. All the memories of what she loves and still tries to hide are entertaining.

One manga can stir a person's soul...or even save their own life. ~ Miko


I'm an otaku, so naturally I picked this up from Netgalley. I'm an American 90s baby ('92) so I can't speak to the accuracy of how otakus were treated in Japan in the 90s but I absolutely loved this manga. The passion, the drama, the awkwardness, the internal monologue. It's everything I want in a slice of life manga.

My Lovesick Life as a '90s Otaku Vol 1 by Nico Nicholson was a cute and fun volume to read and SO nostalgic for me, having also been an avid...anime fan in the '90s.

We follow a relatable, endearing FML as she reflects and helps empower us who remember and bridge those younger to some of the things we dealt with as otakus during this time. It's so mainstream now all over the world, but it wasn't always like that. Full of fun references, OMG I did that too moments and adorable style to the art this is a series I can't wait to dive more into.

Rating: 3.82 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 4/5
-Cover (+art): 4.75/5
-Story: 4/5
-Writing: 5/5
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Shojo
-Comedy: 2/5
-Romance: 2/5
-Shojo: 5/5
Type: Manga
Worth?: Yes

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

I really enjoyed it! It feels like home girl is going to end up meeting her penpal AND the guy from high school but I'm not sure. Really would love to read more from the series.