I am finally getting around to reviewing Ai Yazawas best known Ribon work. This was a review request which I unfortunately got too distracted to work on until now. Anyways I did really enjoy this as it combines the world and storytelling styles of Paradise Kiss and Tenshi Nanka Janai. Incidentally Gokinjo Monogatari is the series that ties those worlds together. Mikako Kouda is a high school student at Yazawa Art Academy alongside her childhood friend Tsutomu Yamaguchi. The two of them have been inseparable since they were kids. Now Mikako is an aspiring fashion designer who begins to realize that her feelings for her friend are more than platonic. The two of them begin to realize their dreams in addition to their feelings for each other. Gokinjo Monogatari is more of a romantic slice of life series focusing on the romantic relationships of the characters as well as their goals. A big part of the series is the development of their club Akindo which gives them the opportunity to sell the products that they want to make in the future. It really is a tale of maturity as the characters work to realize what is important to them as well as how best to grow as a person. Mikako Kouda our protagonist feels very human. Shes trendy with a passion for fashion in addition to having a bubbly personality. Mikako is definitely a free spirit who has a However she struggles with feelings of loneliness starting with her parents divorce. As a result shes overly attached to those close to her and she is constantly worried about doing things to make them leave her. I feel like her character is the heart of the series. Her love interest Tsutomu is a very caring person who treats everyone kindly. Hes very friendly though he is easily persuaded to do things. While I found his characterization to be weaker than Mikakos actually most of the female characters were much better developed than the male characters he did have his own struggles. He wants to understand his feelings and work through his own issues with ambition. While our leads are trying to work out their own personal issues and work towards their dreams we also have a wide variety of side characters. The biggest subplot revolves around a love triangle involving Mariko a popular girl Yuusuke Tsutomus best friend and Ayumi a girl who joined Akindo. Mariko was easily the most compelling character out of the three. She has a bratty personality but shes actually deeply insecure. Nicknamed Nice Bodyko often called Bodyko shes known for sleeping around. However she has a hard time finding guys who dont want to use her for sex and like her for more than her looks. As a result she can be dependent on the guys who dont just treat her like an object. Ayumi is more of an average sweet girl. Shes nice and friendly as well as open and genuine. However she isnt as outgoing as Mariko. Yuusuke is shorttempered but down to earth. He does really care for the people in his life and wants the best for them. I actually thought Mariko and Yuusuke had more chemistry than Yuusuke and Ayumi. I think the resolution of the love triangle was realistic but I think the followup about Yuusukes decision was strange and abrupt since initially he didnt seem to want to be with the girl he ended up with. The other characters werent particularly important which was sad since two of them were supposed to be Mikakos best friends. I think Risa had some nice characterization and felt real and down to earth but she wasnt particularly relevant. I wish I could have seen more of her. Pchan and Jirou were barely in it and they both had very little characterization that wasnt superficial. At least I can name some of Pchans traits because I cant remember anything about Jirou other than his strange looks. The art is super stylish as per Ai Yazawas style. I think Mikako looks quite a bit more cartoonish in design than her other protagonists but she is still very cute. I really appreciate the wide diversity with the outfits and how unconventional yet visually appealing they are. The designs remind me more and more of the Paradise Kiss characters and style as it goes on. I did really enjoy watching the characters grow up. Its making me want to revisit Paradise Kiss now. Its such a lovely story and its definitely another Ai Yazawa banger. Her works have never let me down and I am happy to say that this is no exception.