Lurking around the internet looking for a quick read, I come across Hot Road. To be honest, I wasn't expecting too much but I got so much more from this series that I felt compelled to write a review. Hot Road may not seem like much at first glance, but it truly is a very well done manga that I recommend! Story: (8) The story is simple. A simple, quiet girl ends up getting involved with a motorcycle gang and ends up getting romantically involved with one of the gang members. The manga is not too dramatic, though, and at times it almost feels like a sliceof life. There aren't many plot twists or overly dramatic portions, just a beautiful simplicity that allows the characters and their relationships take the main stage, which the mangaka handles very well.

Art: (7)
Like most older manga, the art takes a little time to get used to. With time, though, it really comes to grow on to you and there are a few particular panels where the art is really, really well done. Nonetheless, sometimes the character's expressions were sort of dull and the backgrounds sometimes weren't very clear, so I can't rate it any higher than a 7.

Character: (9)
This is where Hot Road shines. Kazuki, the main heroine of the series, is not your typical shoujo protagonist. She's serious, quiet, and keeps to herself. Every once in a while she does cry, but it feels fully justified and not at all over dramatic. Haruyama, her love interest, starts out as a typical rough gang-type character but in a few chapters comes to grow to so much more. Better yet, the two grow, mature, and develop as the series progresses in a very satisfactory and realistic way. Supporting characters are not given as much backstory and development, so I cannot rate this section a full 10, but they were given a satisfactory amount that they do not feel flat and boring. It may leave pickier readers wishing for more, but I was fully satisfied.

Enjoyment: (10)
I got a lot more than I was expecting from this series. I was just looking for a way to kill time and ended up finding a very well-done, interesting, and enjoyable series. I planned on reading the series over a span of a week and ended up finishing it in two days since I kept wanting more and more.

Overall: (8)
Hot Road shines in its simplicity and captivates you slowly and fully. It's not a masterpiece, but it certainly is a very good and well-done series that is worth looking into.