Doubt!!

Doubt
ダウト!! [1]
Demographic	Shōjo
Genre	Romance, Drama
Manga
Author	Kaneyoshi Izumi
Publisher	Shogakukan VIZ Media [1]
Serialized in	Betsucomi
Original run	2000 – 2002
Volumes	6 [1]

Doubt!! is a shōjo manga series by Kaneyoshi Izumi. Doubt!! is published in Japan by Shogakukan and in North America in English by VIZ Media.

Story

Doubt!! is about a teenage girl named Ai Maekawa. Ai is "jimi" (a Japanese slang term that refers to homely, studious girls), and she has pimples. Ai has been unable to find a boy who loves her, and she states that she will be a virgin at thirty. Oshita, a boy who Ai secretly likes, is revealed to have "popped" the "cherry" of Yumi Sakata, a girl whom Ai hates with all her heart. When Ai hears this, she yells at her classmates to be quiet. Yumi, in retaliation, flips up Ai's skirt, revealing that Ai wears cartoon character underwear that reads "Cutie Bunny." The shame makes the day Ai's "worst ever." Six months later she is at a new school and is now beautiful. She is immediately noticed by Sō Ichinose, a boy who winds up as the head boy in Ai's class. Ai is then the target of rumors and gossip by competing girls in the school.

Characters

Ai Maekawa

The main character of Doubt!. She was originally a 'jimi', the Japanese equivalent of a geek/nerd/dork, in junior high. After a devastating and embarrassing event she decides to step up her game. A few months before her first year of high school, she says she "manufactures" herself into a beautiful young woman. Now getting everyone's attention she enters a roller coaster of a ride in high school. The very first day of school she meets Sō Ichinose and his friend Yuichiro Kato, known as the two hottest guys in school. Mina Sato doesn't seem to be very happy with Ai after watching her hanging out with the boys too much. She becomes Ai's enemy for the first few chapters, thinking that Ai was trying to hook up with Yuichiro but after learning that she was actually after Sō, they become the best of friends. By the 2nd volume Ai and Sō enteres a relationship. But unfortunately for Ai, things go far from what she had expected when Yuichiro announces that he is in fact in love with her too.

Sō Ichinose

The most popular guy in school, who Ai has a crush on. The vulgar, bad guy type. According to him, he lost his virginity at age 12. He's dated a lot of girls just for the sake of getting in their pants or just because he felt like it. This changes when he starts going out with Ai. He has a pretty harsh life at home. His father, a congressman, is actually not his real father. His mom feels guilty about this and tends to take out her anger on him. Nevertheless he still acts carefree all the time. He's been friends with Yuichiro ever since kindergarten and since then they've been in the same class. He says his number one goal is to make his life miserable.

Yuichiro Kato

Ichinose's best friend, he seems to have a thing for Ai but hasn't acted on it. Mina's crazy for him but he seems scared of her after the little incident in junior high. He's been friends with Sō for a long time. He's the exact opposite of Sō, he tends to be more like a gentleman and isn't a playboy like his friend. The reason he's such a gentleman to girls is because of his mother. She's pretty and though she may look harmless she actually has a deadly side. One time, in the manga when they were having a parent teacher conference, Mina's mom had teased him about looking adorable. Of course he had snapped and dissed her. His mom quickly changed from sweet and kind to cold and harsh and warned him about disrespecting women. He falls for Ai and later actually tries to steal her away but he decides to back off a little seeing how much she loves Sō.

Mina Sato

Mina is a trendy "ko-gal". She thought Ai was after Yuichiro, the guy she liked, so she turned the whole girl population against Ai. But later on after she finds out Ai likes Ichinose and not Kato they become best friends. The reason why Yuichiro dislikes her is actually because of an incident that happened when they were left in a classroom together in junior high. Yuichiro had tried to shy away from her though she never stops chasing after him. She's aware of his feelings for Ai. She hates the fact that he does but there's one event in the manga where she tells him to just to tell Ai that he loves her. Mina's usually vulgar like Sō and like Ai said she has a tiger like personality and was ready to pounce any time. Her feelings for Yuichiro are very obvious and she knows so much about him, it almost looks like she's stalking him.

Yumi Sakata

Ai idolized and envied her in junior high. She was also the one that embarrassed Ai in class and made her turn from a "Jimi" (nerd) into a popular girl.

Chiharu Hamano

A student teacher who seems to have dated Ichinose in the past. She wants him back and sees Ai as her enemy. She looks like a cute little bunny but her personality is the exact opposite. She's Ai's very firt enemy in trying to conquer Sō. She leaves for a little while but says that she'll return as a full time teacher.

Kyoka

The so called 'Queen' of her college campus. She's one of Sō's ex-girlfriends and Ai's next enemy. She explains to Ai that she can never be the 'only' girl for Sō. She adds that it's somewhat like a sisterhood when you date Sō. Ai declines to 'join' this 'sisterhood' and challenges her.

Volumes

1. Collects Chapters 1-4. Also includes the short story: "The Day of Finals" (192 pages)
2. Collects Chapters 5-8. Also includes the short stories: "A Women's Path", "Travel Essay: Hainan Island, The Hawaii of China", "Love Letter from China", and "Bragging About My Hometown." (184 pages)
3. Collects Chapters 9-13. (200 pages)
4. Collects Chapters 14-18. Also includes the short stories: "Mysteries of Men", and "Creature Banzai!"(192 pages)
5. Collects Chapters 19-23. Also includes the short story: "Afterword"(192 pages)
6. Collects Chapters 24-28. (200 pages)

References