| Say "I Love You" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Kanji | 好きっていいなよ。 | |
| Romanji | Suki-tte Ii na yo. | |
| Manga | ||
| Published by | Kodansha | |
| English Publisher | Kodansha Comics USA | |
| Demographic | Shōjo | |
| Magazine | Dessert | |
| Original run | 2008 – ongoing | |
| Volumes | 11 | |
| Directed by | Takuya Satō | |
| Music | Yuuji Nomi | |
| Studio | ZEXCS | |
| Licensed by | Sentai Filmworks | |
| Network | Tokyo MX | |
| Original run | 2008 – ongoing | |
| Episodes | 13 (Episodes) | |
Say "I Love You" (好きっていいなよ。, Suki-tte Ii na yo.) is an ongoing manga series authored by Kanae Hazuki that has appeared in the Dessert magazine since 2008.
Plot
Quiet and unassuming Mei Tachibana is 16-years-old, but has spent her high school years without making friends or getting a boyfriend because of a childhood incident that left her believing that people will betray each other sooner or later. When she encounters a popular boy named Yamato Kurosawa he becomes interested in her, and it is through their tentative friendship and blossoming relationship that Mei ultimately begins to branch out and befriend others.
Characters
- Mei was a social person before, but because of an accident that made her classmates put the blame on her, she decided never to befriend anyone again. At first, she is described as "freakishly gloomy" and "doesn't speak". She is anti-social and clumsy, as well as observant, honest, supportive, and funny. Her father died from cancer. Later on she eventually falls in love with Yamato Kurosawa, however they began dating by the second episode. She is more open to others after she realize she is in love with Yamato.
- One of the most popular boys in his school. When he first meets Mei, he gets kicked by her. After giving her his phone number, Mei gets stalked and calls Yamato for help. When he gets there, he kisses Mei to get the stalker to go away. Then, he eventually grows a liking to her. They start dating in the second episode.
Asami describes Yamato as someone who thinks of others more than anyone else, protects what should be protected, and cares for others despite having his own problems to deal with.
- Mei's classmate and friend who has complex feelings about her large breasts. She hates it when people always stare at it and that no one seems to like her for who she is. She idolizes Yamato because he defended her from boys teasing her about her chest in middle school, and wishes for a prince of her own to protect her. She starts to date Kenji after he confesses he likes her for how she is, not just the size of her breasts.
- One of Mei's classmates, and a good friend of Yamato's. He has a big crush on Asami, and eventually confesses to her. The two are now a couple.
- A classmate of Yamato and Mei's. She's brazen and bad-mouthed, but a nice girl. She's liked Yamato for a long time after he told her that her natural self was the prettiest, but he hasn't reciprocated her feelings. She strongly believes that love requires self-sacrifice and effort, which prompted her to go to extreme lengths for her boyfriends. She used multiple cosmetics to look pretty despite breaking out for her old boyfriend. She lost 20kg to try to get Yamato to become her boyfriend. This however caused her to scar due to sudden weight loss. After Mei stands up for her, she soon learns to accept Mei as a friend and supports her through tough times. She is officially a couple with Masashi.
- Aiko's lover, and the only one she can show her "entire" body to. He's liked her ever since she was chubby.
- A classmate of Yamato and Mei's. He slept around with many different girls just to feel as "popular" as Yamato. His childhood friend, Chiharu, is one of the few people who treats him as a friend and respects him for who he is. After a failed attempt to cheat with Mei and getting beat up by some thugs, he eventually realizes that Chiharu is the only one who actually cares for him. He eventually reciprocates his feelings for her and goes out with Chiharu.
- She is Kakeru's childhood friend and knows his true self. She has a crush on Kakeru and they eventually start to go out after he recognizes his feelings for her.
- An amateur model and transfer student who was placed in Yamato's class. She acts sweet, but in reality is trying to cut Mei off from the rest of their friends and steal Yamato. She had childhood trauma of being called ugly and a plain girl. After realizing that few people actually thought of her as a friend even though she did much to please them such as paying for meals and giving gifts, she finds true friends in her childhood friend Momo and Asami. In addition she begins to ignore other people's comments and cuts her hair as an expression of choosing her decisions without the fear of other's opinions.
- Yamato's junior high friend who was bullied. Because he hid himself and neglected his studies while being bullied, he decided to return to his hometown and repeat his first year of high school so he is currently a grade behind Yamato and Mei despite being the same age as them. After being bullied, he decided to exercise and has increased dramatically in height and strength. He feels akin with Mei because they were both bullied at some point in their life. He is a regular patron of the Bakery where Mei works and loves the theme park "Land". He is in love with Mei but accepts that she is in love with Yamato and tries to protect her from any attacks.
- Yamato's younger sister. She is good at cooking sweets and making stuffed animals. When Yamato first introduces Mei, she disliked her because she felt that she was stealing her brother. After spending some time with Mei, she found out they had a lot in common: They both used to have a lot of friends until they turned against them. Afterwards, Nagi becomes closer to Mei and teaches her how to cook chocolates for Yamato as well as wants to hang out with Mei more.
- Yamato's older brother. He runs a barber shop and is said to be just as handsome as Yamato. He rejects styling people if they want to imitate others and instead styles according to what they want to be.
- She is rumored to be Yamato's first love, since she is the only girl he has not kissed in his high school. She has a deep interest in Yamato, even flirting with him while at a restaurant. Yamato however rejects her advances.
- She was always worried about her daughter not being able to find happiness, however, after meeting Yamato she is more at ease. Her husband died from cancer and leaves a picture of him in his room.