Exploring Jump TOON: Diving into the Charming Rom-Com “Azatoi-chan to Yankee-kun”
Shueisha launched its vertical-scrolling manga app for smartphones and tablets, “Jump TOON,” in May 2024. While the app features popular titles rearranged into full-color, vertical formats – often tied to media adaptations – the true brilliance of Jump TOON shines through its many original works only available on the platform.
In this article, we’re spotlighting one of those original series, “Azatoi-chan to Yankee-kun,” which began serialization on March 9th. Let’s delve into its appeal, maybe even indulging in some hopeful speculation about a potential anime adaptation!
Story Synopsis
“Because Nakatani Airi really, really wants to make someone fall for her.” First-year high schooler Nakatani Airi is self-proclaimed cute, both in looks and personality. True to her word, she’s incredibly popular. The senior who confessed to her just the other day (the second confession she received that day, mind you!) confessed despite barely ever talking to her. But she didn’t accept. Airi believes that with her bright, charming, and just a *little* bit azatoi (cunningly cute) demeanor, any guy would say yes if she asked them out… except for one. Her gaze is fixed on a certain boy, the only one who shows absolutely no sign of “falling” for her.
That boy, Tachibana Rentarou, is a yankee in Airi’s class. With his sharp eyes, unapproachable demeanor, and minimal interaction with others, he’s the quintessential lone wolf type. And for some reason, Airi’s abundant “like me, like me!” appeals have absolutely no effect on this “lonely yankee.” Even when she talks to him while he’s alone in a corner, wraps her arm around his and asks for a favor with an upward glance – things like “Let Airi read Jump too~”, “Hey, just a little bit” – his reactions are utterly bland. “There’s no way Airi can’t make someone fall for her…!” His refusal to be swayed only makes Airi, confident in her popularity and cuteness, more determined.
“That was close… I was about to fall for her—!!!” Meanwhile, Rentarou, who had just coolly brushed Airi off, is later seen blushing fiercely. He knows. He knows that her burikko act is a deliberate attempt to make him fall for her. And he knows that it doesn’t stem from genuine affection.
“I’m sleepy,” “I forgot to prepare,” “I’m hungry,” “I want to stop by somewhere on the way home,” “I can’t see the blackboard”… Even during class, which outwardly seems filled only with the teacher’s voice, Rentarou’s mind is a noisy place. That’s because the thoughts of everyone around him are constantly audible in his brain. He can “read people’s minds.”
Azatoi Her and Yankee Him Both Want to Be Themselves! The “Skillful Yet Awkward” Pair Brings a Grinning & Heart-Fluttering Romance
Rentarou’s strange ability to read minds has been with him since he was old enough to understand things. Acting according to what people think worked initially, but eventually, it wasn’t enough. After all, both the “outward words and inner feelings” that everyone harbors were constantly pouring into his mind, unfiltered. Day by day, he found himself tossed about by these contradictions.
“If only I didn’t know, I could just go on like before…” As he grew, Rentarou came to resent his power. The path he took to push others away was to act like a yankee. Dyeing his hair, wearing his uniform sloppily, and adopting a rough attitude ensured no one would approach him (conveniently, this behavior suited him). He managed to get through three years of middle school like this and planned to continue in high school, but then Airi appeared.
Given the developments so far – the first chapter revealing Rentarou’s secret, which is key to the story, and the second chapter delving deeper into his power – you might expect the story to center on his perspective as the “skillful yet awkward” one being tossed about by Airi. You might think it’s a romantic comedy where you enjoy Rentarou’s struggle to navigate Airi’s cunning advances. However, this is where this work, “Azatoi-chan to Yankee-kun,” really starts to spread its wings.
“If I make you fall for me, I’ll have completed the collection…!” Rentarou, who can clearly hear Airi’s inner thoughts, tries to maintain his “lonely yankee” facade – a survival skill he’s honed – even towards her. But Airi doesn’t give up at all. To Airi, who stubbornly insists on him, Rentarou can’t help but curse internally, thinking, “She’s just an attention-seeking burikko who wants everyone to like her.”
And he wasn’t the only one cursing Airi like that. There was a moment when Rentarou overheard some girls speaking ill of her burikko act, and unfortunately, Airi heard them. “…Uh oh, is she gonna cry?” Rentarou worried, expecting Airi to be shocked, but her reaction was surprising. Airi faced them and declared, “What’s wrong with being a burikko?!”
“Cutenss is Airi was born with!” “I’m just living my life happily by using my strengths, got a problem with that?!” Airi wasn’t just some “attention-seeking burikko who wants everyone to like her.” Rentarou watched with admiration, thinking, “If only I could think about my power like that…” Yes, it turns out Airi is also doing something “skillful yet awkward.”
“For a burikko, she’s actually kinda cool…” Rentarou’s perspective on her changes, and his subsequent reactions to Airi are a major highlight in the beginning (this is likely the first “grinning & heart-fluttering” moment for many readers). Realizing he seems to be starting to notice Airi in a different way, Rentarou decides that instead of being “made to fall” by Airi, he’ll be the one to “make her fall” first.
Thus, a secret “battle of making the other fall” commences between Airi and Rentarou. Although their approaches are completely different, outwardly they both seem to be putting up a facade, but in reality, their actions are simply how they try to be true to themselves… This is the unique charm of this work, overflowing with grinning & heart-fluttering moments thanks to the romance between these two quirky characters who are “skillfully doing awkward things.”
If this series were to be animated, the dynamic of acting one way outwardly while having completely different inner thoughts would be a major point of interest. How their inner voices would be expressed visually is certainly something we’d love to see!
The Engaging Tactics of a Burikko and a Yankee are Adorable! Pay Attention to Their Gestures Highlighted by the Vertical Format
As mentioned, this series, while comedic, centers on a romance, making the back-and-forth between the burikko Airi and the yankee Rentarou (in the beginning, Airi consistently pushes while Rentarou pulls back) heartwarming. Being a “vertical-scrolling manga,” each panel has significant presence, and the subtle, highlighted gestures are incredibly endearing.
In the opening chapters, Airi’s full-blown burikko act (which feels genuine and not annoying because she owns it) is charming. Watching her burikko attempts fail on Rentarou is also adorable, even from a slightly mischievous perspective, and you can’t help but smile. Rentarou, on the other hand, maintains a cool, detached look as his yankee facade (depicted with exaggerated flair, described as a “lone wolf” in the story), which is also endearing. Knowing that he blushes furiously when no one is looking and is actually quite emotional, it’s hard not to feel a protective urge towards him – and surely I’m not the only reader who feels this way.
Then, in Chapter 3, a “first collaborative effort” unfolds as they clean the pool, forcing the two to get closer whether they like it or not. Outwardly, it seems completely disjointed, but Airi’s rapid reaction to a brief, genuine thought from Rentarou after the cleaning is a must-see. This unexpected gesture from both of them serves as a turning point in the early story.
If it were to be animated, this would likely be the first scene where viewers think, “Okay, this is where the real fun begins!” and look forward to the subsequent developments.
The Sparkle of Heart-Pounding Moments Shines Bright… What Awaits the Love Story of the Azatoi-chan and the Yankee-kun?
In addition, as a story centered on romance, even with its comedic elements, the sparkling effects used to enhance moments of heart-fluttering romance truly leap out on the large panels of the vertical-scrolling manga. Of course, the azatoi Airi looks even cuter with the colorful effects, but in the early chapters, the most impactful sparkles are those seen when Rentarou’s heart flutters.
These sweet, heart-pounding moments, which readers can watch over from a “god’s eye view,” are so exciting in the manga that it sparks delightful speculation about what kind of effects an anime might use to depict them with movement and sound!
You can currently read “Azatoi-chan to Yankee-kun” on Jump TOON. The first three chapters are available for free, and new chapters are updated every Tuesday. You can also enjoy the series using “Wait for Free,” which allows you to read chapters for free after a certain waiting period. Since the series just started in March this year, now is the perfect time to catch up!
>Read the full Chapter 1 for a taste on the next page!
【 Jump TOON Overview 】
[Service Name] Jump TOON
[Service Start Date] May 29, 2024
『Azatoi-chan to Yankee-kun』
(C) Yuzumirai / SHUEISHA
《Nakase Koutarou》
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