Danica Davidson
September 25, 2024 
Kurokiya-san Wants to Lead Him Around by the Nose is a quirky comedy about high schoolers who are opposites but have feelings for each other. Tadao Tadashi is studious and hardworking, and he has the grades to prove it. Ruu Kurokiya is a gyaru who initially appears to have more cleavage than brains, and Tadao agrees to tutor her. But here’s the twist — three years ago, these two were friends in elementary school, before being separated in middle school. Back in elementary school, Ruu didn’t have a gyaru look, and she was the one with the great grades. She would help out poor, struggling Tadao with his schoolwork.
So what has happened with the characters in Kurokiya-san Wants to Lead Him Around by the Nose? Tadao decided to buckle down and study to get Ruu’s approval. So he’s surprised when they meet up again and she acts like a ditz, when he knows very well how smart she is. He says she can be a gyaru and smart, so he doesn’t understand the change. The manga’s first volume doesn’t really answer that question, though it does give examples of Ruu tutoring Tadao on pop culture, like introducing him to bubble tea and ASMR.
Both characters have a crush on each other, but they’re scared to say anything. This leads to awkwardness and humor. Both characters are also charming in their own ways, and this gives the manga an appealing feel. It’s light, breezy and amusing. Romantic couples being reunited after childhood is a common trope in manga and anime, but Kurokiya-san Wants to Lead Him Around by the Nose doesn’t fall through the cracks of just being a cliché because the characters are realized and fun. The artwork is clear and nice, and it does a good job of helping the humor move along. This is a good read for someone wanting a light manga that has unusual characters teamed up together.
Story & Art: Pororoca
Publisher: One Peace Books
Translator: Jameson Taber
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
