Mysterious Girlfriend X is an ecchi comedy Manga created by Riichi Ueshiba from the early 2000s. The story follows the relationship of Akira Tsubaki and the mysterious Mikoto Urabe. The couple form an unusual bond through Urabe’s magical saliva (Yup, it’s one of those manga). How does a series with such a strange premise hold up?
The Good
Mysterious Girlfriend X is the perfect series for those who are nostalgic for the early 2000s and enjoy ecchi comedies. As a fan of Rumiko Takahashi’s work on Ranma 1/2 and Urusei Yatsura, I found that Mysterious Girlfriend X nailed the balance between spicy and sweet romance. Urabe carries a pair of scissors in her panties that she can use to cut through anything– including her boyfriend’s bull-crap. The series is full of charming characters, detailed art, creative fan-service, and surprisingly sweet moments. I especially liked the character of Oka, Mikoto Urabe’s mischievous best friend.
The Bad
Much like Takahashi’s manga works, Mysterious Girlfriend X runs out of steam and gets repetitive after the first three or so volumes. There isn’t much plot progression and none of the mysteries surrounding Urabe are solved. It’s not a dealbreaker for enjoying the series but I found the final chapter to be a bit of a letdown.
The Verdict
Mysterious Girlfriend X captures the unique appeal of ecchi comedies. While the ending was a little anti-climactic, the time spent with these wonderful characters was worth it. There’s so much love of detail put into every panel and article of clothing that it’s easy to get swept away. I look forward to Riichi Ueshiba’s next manga series and I’ll give the anime adaptation a shot. You can now collect the Mysterious Girlfriend X in six doubled-sized volumes from Vertical Comics.
Mysterious Girlfriend X is an ecchi comedy Manga created by Riichi Ueshiba from the early 2000s. The story follows theCOMICONRead More