This is the first time I've felt the distinct effect of not being part of a manga's target demographic (shoujo, shounen, etc.).
For a long time now, I haven't really cared about the demographic, and, until recently, enjoy a wide variety of manga. From violently bloody seinen to shoujo one-shots.
Fact is, I've read a lot of The Good, and had my share of The Face-palming Bad.
This one, though. I think I might've enjoyed it more if I'd encountered it earlier, maybe 10 years ago when I was obsessed with Gakuen Alice.
It's not exactly bad, it's just not what I expected considering the rating. Despite the many similarities in plot and characterisation with other similar manga with the same tropes, the one thing that made me roll my eyes and think of Gakuen Alice, was the obvious obvious male lead.
The male lead is basically: A popular ass (with, of course, the necessary reasons for his d*ckish-ness) with some serious attitude problems, who has (of course) a heart of gold. He's hard on the outside, and such a marshmallow on the inside, of course. Like. Deep deep inside. rolls eyes
Also, 20+ pages in to the first chapter, he lands on top of her half naked (for humour reasons) and fondles her breasts with his oh, so, stoic expression.
Almost strained my eyes from all the eye-rolling I was doing, pushing myself to read the rest of the first volume, because, surely it deserved its popularity. And then it hit me. Maybe this type of thing isn't for me anymore. I'm not immune to the Bad Boy trope, but this one just seriously hit me over the head with all the damn cliches.
I couldn't stand it. Sorry.
The female lead is pretty much the target of abuse from all sides, disguised as plot, humour, and when needed, bullying to force her into the arms of her "love interest/abuser". Sure, it's all good and "heartwarming", and she brings 'humanity' to all 'em beasts, or something like that.
Gratuitous shots of her teary-eyed face softens Male Lead towards her. Of course, he won't show it because of his "rough exterior" (in other words, emotional constipation).
Her hidden strength, apparently, is putting up with everyone's BS, from the students to the incompetent faculty.
It's good in some parts. The humour is pretty hit and miss, and the way they all four fell into friendship was pretty fast, but understandable in some strange way.