Kimi Wa Pet!

Lately my manga reviews have been pretty disappointing. Luckily, I was very fortunate to read Kimi wa Pet!

Synopsis

The story revolves around Sumire Iwaya, a successful business women who is very independent, confident, beautiful, and talented. Many people are intimidated by her huge success and gossip about her. Her long time boyfriend felt intimidated by her height and career that he cheated on her and impregnated the mistress - soon to be wife. All the stress given by her job, romance, and other people have been bottling up inside her for quite some time until one day, she fatefully meets a young man in a cardboard box.

She proposes to give him a place to stay, cook his meals, even shampoo his hair, as long as he agrees to act as her pet. Afraid to show her true self to others, Sumire used to confess all her worries and troubles to her pet dog Momo, who died when she was 12. This mysterious man will take the pets place and provide Sumire an outlet for all her stress.

As time passes, things seem to look up for Sumire. She gets a promotion at work, her college crush (who happens to be taller, handsome, and more successful), confesses his love for her and things couldn't be better with her pet. It is then that Sumire realizes that she will one day have to let grow up and let go of her pet "dog". This is just something she cannot do. Is it because she is having trouble growing up? Or is it because Momo has become more than a canine companion?

An average day at the Sumire househould

Why this series is so good

• The true meaning of strength. It's not about physical power. It's the power to not be intimidated by other people's life or affected by other people's judgements, but to look forward and focus on your on potential and goals. Takeshi (Momo's real name), never felt intimidated about Sumire's success or ever felt ashamed by other people's opinion of him and his pet role. He has the ability to see a person for whom they are, not what they have done and can focus on making himself a better person.
• A different kind of heroine. Sumire is not your average Shoujo female lead. She doesn't need a man to solve her day to day problems. In fact, she is capable of solving them herself. What she really needs help on is her own insecurities and indecisiveness. I believe this is a better reflection on women and girls today. We don't need a man to miraculous show up when we sprain our ankle, or protect us from the pervert who gropes us on the bus. We need someone who accepts us for who we truly are, and let's us express ourselves freely without feeling insecure.
• A different kind of love. It redefines the "perfect man" and shows us that sometimes, things just don't work out and yet the thing that is meant to be, is perfectly normal and better. What makes the perfect man isn't his height, success, or looks, but how they make you feel about yourself, how comfortable you are around them, if they encourage you to be a better person, and how natural it is to interact with him - in all situations.

I can see why this won an award and why it got reproduced into a live action drama (which I am totally going to watch). It seriously left an impression on me, and still has. I recommend this series to everyone who is wants a change of pace from the mundane "Knight in shining armour" shoujo.

Rating: 5/5

Read it here

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