Danica Davidson
December 30, 2022 
Komura is a fourteen-year-old boy who has a crush on Mie, the girl who sits next to him. But she has this issue of forgetting to bring her glasses, and then she’s as blind as a bat. For instance, she’ll think Komura’s shoes are hers, even though they don’t come close to fitting. Komura sees an opportunity to help her out, and to also catch her attention and be a good guy. He’ll share his school book with her, or guide her along by holding her hand. She squints whenever she doesn’t have her glasses, and he thinks even her squinting is too cute.
Komura is generally shy and Mie seems completely oblivious to his crush. After the first time she forgets her glasses he hopes she’ll do it more so he can continue to help. He has no idea what he’s getting into. One day her glasses break. Another time she forgets them. One time she has her glasses but they’re so fogged up she still can’t make out what’s around her. One time she even mistakes Komura for her father.
This sensitive male with a crush with an aggressive female is something of a trope in some shonen manga, but the characters in The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses are still individuals and it has a charming feel. The chapters are short, and the artwork can be spare at times. There’s not a strong plot, as it instead concentrates on the day-to-day slice-of-life foibles the main characters go through as Mie has trouble seeing… for one reason or another. There are moments of humor, and the whole thing feels lighthearted, laid-back and simply told. The first volume is only 125 pages, matching with the spare feel of the book.
This romantic comedy was first self-published by the creator online, and it later got picked up by Square Enix, who originally published it in Japan in 2019.
Story & Art: Koume Fujichika
Publisher: Square Enix Manga
Translator: Sawa Matsueda Savage
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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.
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