“Masculine girl poses as male model to protect delicate childhood love in fashion world.”
Never Give Up!
ネバギバ!
Would You Love or Hate This?
AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Masculine girl poses as male model to protect delicate childhood love in fashion world.
At the age of four, Kiri Minase fell in love with her childhood friend Tohya Enishi and proposed to him. Their families, however, were not very supportive of this match. Both children have parents who work as models and to whom they owe their good looks. The trouble is, Kiri inherited chiseled masculine features from her father and Tohya inherited his mother's delicate beauty. For years, Kiri has been working hard toward becoming a girl worthy of Tohya, but even now, she faces constant reminders that everyone regards her as unsuitable for him due to her lack of femininity. One day, Tohya is scouted by a fashion photographer and agrees to work as a model for the agency owned by Kiri's mother. Kiri is concerned that Tohya will be preyed upon by other men in the fashion world, and so she begs her mother to hire her as well. Her wish is granted with a twist, as she is forced to pose as a male model under the name "Tatsuki." During their first photo shoot, it seems that Kiri's worries are well-founded when the photographer won't keep his hands off Tohya. With the desire to protect Tohya warring against the fear that she will appear undesirable to him the longer she pretends to be male, Kiri must come to terms with her identity and decide if outer beauty is really more important than what lies inside.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 2 sampled reviews
What 2 readers settled on.
Strong agreement
σ 0.50 · scores cluster tight
—
Not enough recommend signal yet
↑ 0.50
Running avg · Jul 2008 → Mar 2009
- 9 “This manga offers a refreshing and unique experience through its twisted character presentations, beautiful art style, and a non-stereotypical family setting. Although the misleading cover art...”
- 10 “The story is outstanding and unique, featuring charming characters, very good art, and hilarious, embarrassing moments. Although I was initially confused by Kiri’s appearance, the plot quickly drew...”
Read Order & Related
A self-contained story.
No sequels, spin-offs or alternate tellings — Never Give Up! begins and ends here.
Cast
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A Manga Publication
- Format 77 × 13 ch × vol
- Total read 10h 16m approx
- Published Feb 1999 – Dec 2002
- Source Manga media type
- Ref. BS-M0100 catalog