Kara Dennison
July 13, 2024 
Can love bloom between an it girl and her housekeeper? Shonen Jump readers will find out! Hailing from Genki Ono, the author and artist of table tennis manga Full Drive, Hima-Ten! made its debut earlier this week. In a line-up full of exorcists, sport stars, and spy families, will this new offering have what it takes to succeed?
Join us in perusing the first issue of this fresh new manga. Will this stay on your reading list? Let us know!
Meet the Stars
Hima-Ten! takes its name from its two protagonists. Himari is a teen style queen, with an impressive social media following and her own cosmetics brand. She’s also wildly popular, so of course her arrival at a new school causes a major stir.
Then there’s Tenichi, an all-around sweetheart and hard worker. He cooks and cleans for his own family, but he’s also taken up jobs as a housekeeper for his mom’s friends. He’s hoping to save money to defray college costs, which means backburnering fun to fill his bank account. But he’s good at what he does… and better yet, he’s just landed a new housekeeping gig!
Two Different Worlds
In the first chapter of Hima-Ten!, the relationship between Himari and Tenichi is a bit wobbly. He’s responsible; she’s more interested in making friends (specifically with girls). He’s put in charge of “babysitting” her to make sure she doesn’t distract the class, but she’d prefer not to be babysat.
Even with this off-kilter beginning, there’s the beginnings of something here. While Himari may not be ready to call Tenichi a friend, she does seem to take to him quickly. And Tenichi can’t deny Himari’s charms, even if he’s not thrilled with the mood she inspires in his classmates. But he’ll only have to deal with her at school, so it shouldn’t be so bad, right…?
The Twist
When it comes to the first chapter of a rom-com manga, there’s (almost) always a twist at the end… and Hima-Ten! is no exception. You see, Tenichi’s new client is Himari! More specifically, Himari’s aunt hired him. It’s a surprise to both of them, and not one that either of them is especially happy about. Not only that, but Tenichi is now privy to the state of Himari’s living space. (Put it this way: she’s got lots of space to make a mess in.)
Hima-Ten! is a surprising choice for Shonen Jump, seemingly a straightforward rom-com. We’d love to see it survive for a decent amount of time, as it could bring a little special something to the current line-up. Will Himari and Tenichi clean up in their manga run? Keep an eye on the Shonen Jump app!
When you’re done here, check out another new title: Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi!
