When the girl who sits behind him in class falls into a ditch, loner high school student Fujiwara Sandai jumps to her aid--and his life is turned upside down. Even though the beautiful Yuizaki Shino has given the cold shoulder to practically every guy in her life, she'll take any opportunity to spend time with Sandai. Is this all some elaborate prank to humiliate this gloomy otaku, or was a simple act of kindness all it took to win her heart?

The Babe at My Back Has Her Eye on Me. I'm Done For. has a story by Koharu Michinoku and art by Maromi Suya. The English translation is by Christine Dashiell, the lettering by Joseph Barr, and the adaptation by Hayame. Published by Seven Seas Entertainment (June 9, 2026). Rated OT.

Bolts
Rating:

I was a little surprised at just how well-paced this romance was. This first volume follows two teenagers, Fujiwara and Yuizaki, who have a seemingly random encounter that leads them to interact more. The downside is that Fujiwara, in particular, is an overly analytical and pessimistic learner who reads too much into everything. There are communication issues between the two, but over the course of time, there is a genuine relationship that seems to blossom here as Fujiwara's walls begin to come down. I will say, given how typical the setup is, I was very surprised at exactly what point in the relationship between these two the first volume actually ends on. I do have to commend it for reaching that point in an incredibly natural way.

There is a message here about preconceived notions versus reality. There is an idea of yearning for something that might seem out of reach, but making the effort to engage with it whenever you can. I like that these two characters come off as insecure teenagers, just on opposite ends of the spectrum. One needs to temper their strong attitude with a little more patience, while the other accepts that it may be OK to allow themselves to be happy. Granted, just because everything plays out in a very natural way doesn't make things any less typical. This is still a story about a loner getting with a hot gal, driven by circumstances that ultimately came down to convenience. But I like the way that the characters take charge of the situation. It is a solid example of how you could still make an engaging story with overly familiar elements; you just have to be smart about it. It's not anything remarkable, but it does fall firmly into the camp of OK, especially if you like these types of romances where opposites end up attracting.

Jean-Karlo Lemus
Rating:

Any guy with a pulse loves a good romance with gyaru in them. But there are starting to be quite a few of them, and so it's gonna take a lot more than just a cute gal to sell me on a gyaru romance. I didn't think Babe at My Back really had much to go off of at first; the gloomy Fujiwara and the peppy Yuizaki were just a bit of an odd couple. The “gyaru” is a bit wasted here, since Fujiwara is just a cute girl, all things considered. Her outfits aren't even that flashy. (There is a nice bit of characterization in that she doesn't have flashy nails because of her job—I give the author credit for that.)

But I do appreciate the romance being brisk. Rather than wasting our time with endless will-they-or-won't-they's, we see that Fujiwara and Yuizaki actually get along rather swimmingly. Their twice-shy young love is cute, albeit rather toothless. There doesn't seem to be any kind of tension outside of Fujiwara being mildly insecure. I can appreciate a good low-impact read, mind, so it's not like the story ever gets completely uninteresting. I really do appreciate that Yuizaki just cuts the fat and confesses just a few chapters in. I'm a bit worried about where the story is going, since it looks like Yuizaki's friends want to raise some hell for Fujiwara (I pray there aren't cheap misunderstandings in store). I've definitely read better romances than The Babe at My Back, but you could do so, so much worse. Mildly recommended.