Danica Davidson
May 22, 2024 
Let’s Do It Already! is a case of opposites attracting. High school students Yuri and Keiichiro are totally different from page one. Yuri doesn’t care about rules or traditions. Keiichiro very much cares about rules and traditions. The two are really into each other and agree to date, and then Yuri soon realizes she’s in a very unusual situation.
It turns out Keiichiro is the son and grandson of two different prime ministers. He’s supposed to be important himself, and his family expects him to study hard, work hard, follow the family traditions, and make something of himself. And, oh, he’s not allowed to touch members of the opposite sex until he’s 18.
The title might give the impression Yuri is eager to have sex with Keiichiro. It’s actually more basic than that — she wants to be able to kiss him and hold him. But even that is forbidden until he’s of age. And Keiichiro is a stickler for tradition.
This leads to a comedy scenario, where Yuri wants to seduce Keiichiro, and Keiichiro tries to keep up his self-restraint. Even if Keiichiro were to fold, there’s the issue that he has bodyguards — essentially spies in this case — who will tattle to his family if he does anything, anything at all, with Yuri.
While the scenario itself is unlikely, it could be relatable to couples where one wants to do more than the other, and they’re not sure how to make their relationship work. It also bucks the stereotype that guys are always more interested in these things than girls, because it’s Yuri who wants more, not Keiichiro. Let’s Do It Already! isn’t so much laugh-out-loud funny as it is quirky, and it had some moments where we flash back in time and get to see how the characters initially got interested in each other. The manga is light and offbeat, an easy read with amusing characters and scenes.
Story & Art: Aki Kusaka
Publisher: VIZ Media
Translator: Jan Mitsuko Cash
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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.
