Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu, also romanised as Kyō, Koi wo Hajimemasu, is a shōjo manga series created by Kanan Minami. It started serialization in 2008 in the magazine Sho-Comi, and completed in 2013, with 15 bound volumes have been released in Japan under the Flower Comics label.
Plot
Despite Tsubaki Hibino's talent in styling other people's hair, she isn't comfortable with doing the same for herself. On her first day of high school, she is immediately looked down upon her delinquent-like classmates for her old-fashioned taste. When she is teased by the top student, Kyouta Tsubaki, who shares the same name as her, she defiantly cuts his hair. Interested in her actions, Kyouta decides to make her his target. Kyouta, who is not only a promiscuous playboy but also has control of the class, makes Tsubaki need him during class activities, although Tsubaki attempts to resist his advances. Gradually, the two begin to fall in love with each other until Tsubaki discovers that Kyouta cannot commit himself into a relationship due to his mother and a nurse he trusted. But with both of them having their first experiences in love, troubles start to weigh and test their relationship.
When creating the manga, Minami wanted to draw a romance between a "plain girl" and a "cool boy." Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu originally ran in Shōjo Comic since 2008 and completed in 2011, and 15 bound tankōbon have been released under the Flower Comics imprint. In addition, a special drama CD with a vocal reenactment of the first chapter was included in the June 2008 issue of Shōjo Comic and featured Rina Satō as Tsubaki and Takashi Kondō as Kyouta. Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu is licensed by Tokyopop Germany for regional German releases under the title 3, 2, 1... Liebe!
Anime
On 5 April 2010, Shojō Comic announced an original video animation production of Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu, which was released directly onto DVD with the ninth volume of the manga on 25 June 2010. It was animated by J.C.Staff and directed by Shigeyasu Yamauchi. Following the first episode, a second episode was released on 25 February 2011 with French Kiss' "If" as the theme song.
Light novel
A light novel titled Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu: Hatsukoi no Prelude was written by Yunoka Takase and was overseen and illustrated by Minami herself. The story details the events of Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu through the perspective of Kyouta. It was released on 26 February 2010.
Drama
French Kiss, a sub-unit from the Japanesegirl groupAKB48, released an original live-action drama on 19 January 2011, that takes place a year prior to the storyline events of Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu. The DVD was bundled with their second single, "If". A different version of the DVD, which features the members of French Kiss providing voiceovers to manga stills, came in a separate version of the "If" single.
