Photo by Nicole. Shiina, Volume 1 Cover, Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Viz Media.
Kimi ni Todoke Soulmate – Information
Author of Story: Karuho Shiina
Chapter Count: 3 volumes, 12 chapters
Status: Completed
Content Warnings
These content warnings do not reflect the contents of the review below; only the literary work itself.
- Stalking
Spoiler Disclaimer
This recommendation post may contain small plot spoilers for review purposes. Any major spoilers are hidden by default and are able to be revealed via click or tap.
Kimi ni Todoke: Soulmate – Plot Summary
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, which I will be abbreviating to Kimi ni Todoke Soulmate for this review, is a spinoff series from the original Kimi ni Todoke series as well as Karuho Shiina’s other work, Crazy for You. Warning: This plot summary contains spoilers for those two works, so be sure to read those first!
So, spoiler warning aside…this series continues from the end of the original Kimi ni Todoke, where Kurumi and Sawako enter university together. This time around, Kurumi gets to have her love story!
It starts with Kurumi dragging Sawako to a mixer so she can find a boyfriend (Kazehaya is aware of the plan, so no worries). However, one of the guys there is actually a total creep, and begins getting too touchy with Sawako and Kurumi. Just as he begins crossing the line, they are saved by Eiji Akahoshi, Sawako’s cousin who happened to be in the same restaurant.
One night soon after, Sawako invites Kurumi to dinner with her and Eiji. There, they quickly get to know each other a bit more thanks to Eiji’s blunt personality. At this time, Kurumi reveals to Eiji what a horrible person she had once been to Sawako.
Afterwards as Eiji walks her home, Kurumi tells him that she still feels like she is a bad person for what she did in the past, even comparing herself to the creepy guy from the group date. However, Eiji’s response is a bit odd, as he offers to date her!
I have really enjoyed this series, and so this Kimi ni Todoke Soulmate review may be tad bit longer than usual if you choose to read the in-depth portion! (´｡• ᵕ •｡)
Shiina. Volume 2 Cover, Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Viz Media.
Why I Enjoyed Kimi ni Todoke Soulmate
Plot:
The plot of this story is obviously heavily romance-focused, but it also has a great portrayal of the friendship between Sawako and Kurumi, which was so heartwarming.
Although she isn’t the main character this time around, Sawako’s beautiful and slightly goofy personality still shines through even in this short spinoff. But as much as I love Sawako, I was ecstatic to see a spinoff focusing on Ume Kurumizawa.
Kurumi’s romance story comes off as very emotional, but not so back-and-forth or slow burn-ish as the original Kimi ni Todoke, which was refreshing. The story really focuses on Kurumi’s character and her internal/emotional struggles throughout the series.
We get to see a lot of development and a lovely, sweet romance for her character! It just made the entire Kimi ni Todoke series feel even more complete, at least for me personally.
If I had to compare the two series, I’d say the original Kimi ni Todoke focuses on a very innocent, hesitant, and pure romance between two “perfect” individuals—whereas Soulmate takes a bit more unique of an approach.
Kimi ni Todoke: Soulmate follows a romance between two second lead characters who, due to their own character flaws and other circumstances, have experienced failed romances once before.
Soulmate captures a love story between two individuals who definitely aren’t as “perfect” or pure-hearted as Sawako or Kazehaya, but who definitely deserved their own happiness in love, too!
Because this series is short and very focused on character development, I don’t have a whole lot else to say about the plot itself. Just expect a lot of focus on the lovely Kurumi, and look forward to a very cute, exciting, and heartwarming romance!
Characters:
I don’t want to say too much here since there’s a lot of character development that occurs in this short spinoff, and I would hate to spoil the entire point of the series for readers who really like Kurumi’s character (like myself). However, if you’ve read this spinoff already or enjoy spoilers, be sure to read the in-depth section!
If you’ve read my Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You manga review, you’d know that I really enjoyed Kurumi’s character. She was just so different from the usual shoujo villain—she’s arguably one of the best and most complex characters in the entire Kimi ni Todoke series.
Obviously Sawako is cute and lovable, but Kurumi has a depth to her that made me want a happy ending for her, too. She is cute, sweet, and deserving of love just like any other girl—but also has seen her own share of troubles and dealt with them in her own way (even if that caused trouble for others).
I always loved how the author created her character and personality. She’s got a perfect contrast to Sawako, and I loved seeing their friendship more in this short spinoff!
In Kimi ni Todoke Soulmate, Kurumi’s personality doesn’t just turn innocent all of a sudden, either. She’s still the usual Kurumi, but without the mask and hate towards Sawako. She’s like an anti-heroine, but a more likable one who is aware of her bad points.
So many people across platforms have expressed hate for Kurumi, and I really think it is just because of a bias they have for Sawako. It’s normal to not want a character to get in between your ship, but you can’t deny that Kurumi’s character was very well written.
She was mature enough to acknowledge that Kazehaya held no feelings for her, and even knew that she had lost to Sawako’s earnestness and honesty. Anyone who has experienced heartbreak before should have been able to at least feel a little sorry for Kurumi!
Anyway, in Kimi ni Todoke Soulmate, we get to see the “true” version of Kurumi.
That is, someone who is indeed very cute—but also very reliant, clingy, spoiled, and blunt. Obviously we knew this from the original series, but this time around she doesn’t put up her fake act around Sawako, and they’ve even become the best of friends.
Additionally, we get to see Kurumi have tons of regret for what she did in the past, and witness how she has a hard time accepting her true self. She no longer wears a mask of perfection and innocence (most of the time).
Kurumi knows her real personality is very clingy, obsessive, jealous, and occasionally mean even towards those she loves. But because of that, she’s scared of showing it to others and puts up walls out of fear. If you remember her past shown in Kimi ni Todoke, you may remember why!
However, Shiina picked the perfect person to take on Kurumi and her unique needs. If you remember Eiji’s personality and experiences from Crazy for You, you will agree! Those two are much more similar than Kurumi would ever have been with Kazehaya, and that’s what makes them such as great match. I go more in detail about this in the in-depth review portion!
Art:
Karuho Shiina’s lovely art style shines through in this spinoff series just as it did for her other works. I mean, just look at the volume covers—they are so stunning!
Kurumi and Sawako both look as beautiful as ever, and it was very nice to see more spotlight on Kurumi this time. This manga’s art is perfectly polished, showcasing the gorgeous and fluffy shoujo art style that many loved from Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You.
I would even argue that this series feels even more clean, taking on a bit more modern shoujo characteristics with darker colors, harsher lines, and a bit less fluff than what we saw in the previous works. Don’t worry though, this series still has that adorable shoujo feel, and Kurumi easily takes her place as the cute and lovable heroine!
One of the best parts of the art in this short spinoff is that Eiji got a bit of a glow-up since we last saw him in Crazy for You, likely because Shiina’s art style has grown a lot since that work (which was originally published in the very early 2000’s).
Shiina. Volume 3 Cover, Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Viz Media.
Any Cons?
I don’t really have any cons for this series, just a small complaint:
There is a side character in this series who is drawn with much less effort than the others, even though he plays an important role in the development of the main characters and relationship. It was sort of annoying, if I’m being honest.
Warning, spoilers: I understand he is meant to be a creepy guy, but I got tired of looking at his strange design. Also, it’s not impossible for handsome people to be creepy. If anything, the author could have made him look normal or attractive, and it would have had the same or an even stronger effect.
More In-Depth Review (Warning: Spoilers!)
Kimi ni Todoke Soulmate portrays a very different romantic relationship from the original series, and it is so refreshing. I loved seeing Kurumi finally get her romance, and with someone practically made for her!
In this in-depth portion, I’m going to break down Kurumi and Eiji’s characters and romance, based on my own interpretation of the three connected series.
Characters: Kurumi
Starting with Kurumi, I think that even in the original Kimi ni Todoke, her character’s personality shines through.
We see her putting up a front, acting like a sweet and innocent girl who definitely doesn’t have a crush on anyone…yet manipulates others in order to get closer with Kazehaya. A beautiful porcelain doll on the outside, with bad intentions on the inside.
She tries to separate Sawako and Kazehaya, as she had a massive crush on him for a long time. Interrupting their conversations, doing things that appear kind but actually hold malice, spreading rumors, and even pretending to be Sawako’s friend.
However, her manipulation doesn’t work with Sawako—as poor Sawako couldn’t understand Kurumi’s sneaky tactics or insults. Sawako’s honesty and earnestness practically created an impenetrable barrier.
Kurumi stood no chance against Sawako’s pure character, and she knew it. Sawako brings out Kurumi’s true self, because Kurumi can’t manipulate Sawako like she can others. Sawako is the reason why Kurumi was able to become who she was in Soulmate.
However, even in the original series, Kurumi is cute in her own way—as much as her haters would refuse to admit. Clearly, she held strong feelings for Kazehaya, and tried her best to enter his heart. A girl in love is cute!
She made some bad choices, but Sawako’s kind heart was able to see past Kurumi’s mistakes and poor choices, and instead see the cute girl who was deeply in love.
Additionally, Kurumi always called Sawako by her name properly, never shunned her like an outcast, and considered her a true rival. Despite all the sabotage efforts, she wasn’t that evil of a villain.
Kurumi tried her best to be a perfect girl so that Kazehaya would like her. But her true personality is more spoiled and proud—even when she was sad about being rejected, she was also mad about losing to Sawako, haha.
Unfortunately, even if Sawako didn’t exist, Kurumi is just not the right match for Kazehaya, solely because of how she chose to use people in order to solve her problems.
However, Kurumi was not always like this. In fact, she admits to using others because they use her, too.
In the original Kimi ni Todoke, we see Kurumi’s backstory where she didn’t have true friends—only “friends” who used her to get closer to boys.
She actually overhears her “friends” saying they never actually liked her and that they’d ruin her future relationships, just because all the boys liked Kurumi instead of them. So from that point on, Kurumi kept her love for Kazehaya a secret and never confided in anyone…until Sawako came around!
Over time, they slowly became friends. Even when they are rivals, you can see how Sawako begins to grow on Kurumi. Kurumi scolds Sawako when she fails to properly tell Kazehaya her feelings, and goes as far as to slap Kento when he offers to date Sawako. What villain supports their rival like that?
When Sawako and Kazehaya become a couple, Kurumi even tells off the bullies and lets it be known that Sawako won fair and square. Even though her rejection likely still stung at this point, she was mature enough to realize she had lost, and why.
She admits that she never would have been able to date Kazehaya, and she’s right—they weren’t suitable for each other. Kurumi needed someone who could accept her for her true self, and that’s what she finds in both Sawako and Kimi ni Todoke: Soulmate!
Just like Sawako, Eiji is able to see Kurumi’s true nature, and falls in love with her regardless of her bad points—perhaps even because he’s similar.
Kurumi’s true self is vulnerable, clingy, and obsessive—and she is scared of this “nasty” side of hers being revealed, but Eiji is able accept those parts of her. Perhaps he’s willing to accept her obsessiveness and other bad points because he has his own bad points, too… ones that even match Kurumi’s rather well.
Characters: Eiji
In Crazy for You, Eiji Akahoshi was a pushy guy who often said mean things straight to people’s faces. He supposedly played around with women; although by the end of the series he seemed more considerate of others’ feelings.
He didn’t really do anything sabotage-y like Kurumi did, but he did pursue a girl whose heart was vulnerable from heartbreak (Sachi). Just as he mentioned to Kurumi, Eiji was guilty of using manipulative tactics to get what he wanted, to monopolize his crush, and to avoid rejection.
Back when he confessed to Sachi, he tried to make it impossible for her to refuse him. He is still pushy in this spinoff story, and still used tactics that makes it hard for people to refuse, such as his first date with Kurumi.
He is also the reason Kurumi and Sawako ended up at the restaurant where the Crazy for You crew arranged a meet-up, because he laid the path for it to happen.
Despite these bad points, Eiji is still considerate and thoughtful. For example, regardless of his intentions, he still supported Sachi throughout her heartbreak.
He was mad at being rejected, but never did anything hurtful to her or anyone else. Eiji’s kindness and considerateness were both apparent towards Sachi and their friends throughout that previous series.
Their Romance
Both Kurumi and Eiji recognize their own personality traits that caused them to fail their first love and behave rudely, but it ultimately allows them to connect and be perfect for each other: Kurumi with her needy, obsessive, and jealous personality; and Eiji with his monopolizing, manipulative tendencies yet surprisingly laid-back attitude.
Unfortunately, since they both couldn’t be honest at the start, their relationship has to overcome a few communication-related obstacles in order to begin. What makes them perfect for each other is also what prevents them from being completely honest with each other.
After all, being hurt in the past and making mistakes can make you afraid to try again with full confidence, especially in Kurumi’s case. She wants to be loved, but finds it scary and hard to accept herself or to allow Eiji to see her true self. She also clearly doesn’t want to do things that hurt the ones she loves.
Therefore, Kurumi has her shields up. She keeps everyone at arm’s length to avoid getting hurt and to protect her image (she’s still proud of being THE Kurumi). But around Eiji, she can’t help but let her guard down.
A great example that the author provided was a cute little drawing at the beginning of volume two that described Kurumi as a walnut with a hard exterior but with a cute, sweet plum inside, and that honestly perfectly describes her. Luckily, Eiji has the perfect amount of bluntness and persistence to be able to crack open the “walnut.”
The same goes for his own feelings. At first, he acts too casually and laid-back, which prevents him from revealing his true intentions.
However, as they get closer he begins to open up more easily around Kurumi. He admits to his past of being unable to handle his own feelings properly and stooping to manipulative tactics. Before long, he begins to pursue Kurumi with an admirable seriousness.
Eiji is perfect for Kurumi because he’s the mischievous yet also slightly more laid back type. Although it made him hide his intentions at first, his personality also lets him easily accept all aspects of Kurumi’s personality.
He even thinks what happened at the restaurant was super cute, even though Kurumi calls herself nasty. He’s able to handle what others would call annoying or “nasty” with absolute ease.
Although it takes time, he is able to reassure Kurumi, assert his feelings for her, and accept her for who she is. And after some struggle, Kurumi is able to apologize, let out her honest feelings, and finally be happy with Eiji.
It was a bit of a short-term struggle for them to not only accept each other, but themselves as well. Once the two started being more honest, everything wrapped up nicely.
Therefore, we finally witness a happy ending for two imperfect yet lovable characters. Hooray for a double happy ending! I hope you’ve enjoyed this in-depth discussion/review of Kimi ni Todoke: Soulmate.
Final Thoughts
If it wasn’t obvious enough, I really enjoyed this spin-off manga series. I am ecstatic to see a happy ending for Kurumi, and to have gotten to enjoy yet another lovely story by Karuho Shiina. This manga portrayed a beautiful art style, an exciting and super cute romance, and finally—a happy ending for the second leads! Hooray!
Disclaimer: Any images used for this blog are for illustrative purposes only, are not owned by me, and are under ownership of the artist or publisher.
Images Credit: Shiina, Karuho. Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You: Soulmate, Viz Media, 2024.
