The manga series that inspired a hit anime series, Peach Girl is revolves around the romantic trials of adolescence and high school as a girl tries to deal with it all and her sudden storm of love when two guys vie for her heart!

Momo, a girl whose name translates to “peach”, has great looks, an athletic build and long blond hair. She stands out with her tan and California beach babe looks and the envy and attention it garners leads to a lot of trouble for the kind hearted girl. She’s honest and pure and secretly in love since, like, forever, with Toji. But the girl who is constantly glued to her side, the hateful Sae, always wants whatever Momo does and goes out of her way, to out do her “best friend”. So when her treachery backfires and the good looking playboy of the school, Kiley, takes interest in Mom, a secret war begins. Then when one overheard conversation may get Momo the boy of her dreams, Sae goes to spiteful lengths to sabotage the sweet girl with the unusual looks.

Anyone who likes Western shows like The OC, Beverly Hills 90210, One Tree Hill or Degrassi will enjoy the adolescent pangs, triumphs and trials of Peach Girl. Sae is an evil creature in this first volume, and definitely the nemesis of kind-hearted Momo as the jealous girl lies, manipulates and attempts to steal Momo’s first love Toji and create one heinous rumor after another in attempts to destroy Momo’s reputation. This manga also has a love triangle quickly established between sweet Momo, reserved Toji and bad boy Kiley. It may be however that Kiley isn’t as nefarious as his reputation makes him out to be as he ends up helping Momo and even defending her on more than one occasion throughout this first manga volume. In the end, he may prove to be true rival for Momo’s heart if she should fully realize this side of him. She might just fall for that bad boy yet!

The art style is decent shojo art work through and through with good paneling so that it is easy to follow. Extras in the manga include fan art at the back of the book.

IN SUMMARY:
Peach Girl is teenage soap opera at its best. This manga will appeal to fans of Degrassi, The OC, and One Tree Hill.  There’re spiteful school girls, handsome guys, at least one bad boy who may hide a heart of gold, and a girl who is honest and true and has to find a way to survive the drama-rama of it all.