Faster than a kiss Manga review

Synonyms: Faster than a Kiss, Tsuki to Himawari, Kisu Yori mo Hayaku

Type: Manga

Volumes: Unknown

Chapters: Unknown

Status: Publishing

Published: Jan 24, 2007 to ?

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Shoujo

Authors: Tanaka, Meca (Story & Art)

Serialization: LaLa

A student-teacher relationship, that would make for an interesting love story right? But a student-teacher marriage? Even more interesting? Maybe. Let’s not stop at that, make it exciting by not letting the married couple kiss. And the guy is the one resisting? Unbelievable! Well, this is the story of Faster Than A Kiss. Well, did it now peak your interest enough to check it out?

This story is about the developing relationship between a teacher and his student. At home they are married. While at school they are student and teacher. The teacher is male and much older who used to be a delinquent when he was younger. The student is female and thinks she's a sort of Joan of Arc since she has a sense of righteous justice and as such she comes across violent since she beats people up if they do wrong. The lead girl has a younger brohter and they are both orphans who ran away from a troubled home (their relatives). While they were staying on a park bench they were found (since he was looking for her because of all the missed school days) by her sensei. As a challenge and to use him for money the lead girl tells the sensei to marry her and to her surprise they do. So her and her little brother end up at his house and she's his wife with it a secret by everyone else. In the book he has a neighbor who is also his best friend for 10 years and happens to be the lead girl's little brother's (Teppei's) kindagarten's teacher.

The summary above doesn't give justice to a well thought out student/teacher story. A lot of the time there's this weirdness in the relationship or the teacher tends to take advantage this is not the case here. I liked the story for good continuity, the story flowed without too much conflict, and the art work was great with really good character development through trials and tribulations. You really grow to like the story. Although it appears mediocre, it's far from it and has a good balanced and light hearted story included in it.

I really like the characters. Fumino is young - 16 - and she acts like it. A lot of the story kind of focuses on her coming to terms with being a married lady, and figuring out what her relationship with sensei is. Sensei, on the other hand, has a delinquent past, and is even at the start a loving part of the family. Teppei is just gorgeous! He is cute, his cosplaying is adorable, and the little conversations between him and Ryu (the next door neighbour) are great! The minor characters are great too! It is the sort of series where you genuinely care about all the characters. 

It's a sweet, funny tale, and very enjoyable to read. My only issue? Repetitiveness. Hopefully the mangaka stops his pattern, but I've read the first 2 volumes and it's the same thing every time. Despite the fact that Fumino is some super tough chick, Maa-kun (her husband) is always saving her. Then they cry together, almost kiss, and then stop themselves.

It's about evenly split between a dramatic sort of love and comedic, fluffy moments, but both are equally amazing. The art is nice, not the best I've ever seen, but very straightforward and functional for this manga.

Basically, it's a fun series to read. You'll get invested in the characters, you'll laugh, you'll anxiously await the next chapter. The perfect shoujo manga.