Love Stage!! Review: A Non-Entertainment Family's Non-Performer Son Is Mistaken for a Girl by an Actor Who Fell for Him Years Ago
by Eiki Eiki & Taishi Zaou
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Quick Take
- The entertainment industry family setting — actors, musicians, managers as everyday household — is a genuinely fun premise that distinguishes the series from other BL
- The mistaken-identity origin and its aftermath are handled with more comedy and character warmth than the setup suggests
- 7 volumes complete; one of the funnier boys' love manga available in English
Who Is This Manga For?
- Boys' love readers who want comedy-forward romance with entertainment setting
- Anyone interested in the "normal person in extraordinary family" character structure
- Readers who want BL with genuine humor alongside romance
- Adult readers looking for complete lighter-register boys' love
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: M (Mature) Content Warnings: Mistaken identity romantic beginning; explicit sexual content; age gap element; entertainment industry pressure themes
M rating — adult readers only; standard boys' love M-rated content.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★☆☆ |
| Art Style | ★★★★☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★★☆ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★★ |
| Reread Value | ★★★★☆ |
Story Overview
Izumi Sena wants to be a manga artist. This is unusual in his family: his father is a famous actor, his mother is a famous singer, his older brother Shougo is the frontman of the most popular band in Japan. Everyone in his household is a performer of some kind.
When Izumi is required to participate in a commercial — reprising a role from a shoot he did as a child, playing a bride — the popular actor Ryoma Ichijo is his scene partner. Ryoma has spent years looking for the girl from that original commercial, certain he has been in love with her since childhood. When he meets Izumi, he realizes the girl he was looking for was a boy in a dress.
Ryoma's initial reaction and the development of his feelings once he knows Izumi's actual identity is the series' central romantic progression.
Characters
Izumi Sena — A protagonist whose determined ordinariness in an extraordinary family is both comic and genuinely sympathetic; his pursuit of manga artistry against everyone's assumptions provides the series' character depth.
Ryoma Ichijo — A character whose certainty about his feelings before and after the gender revelation is handled with more emotional honesty than the premise suggests; his development from pursuit to genuine support is what distinguishes him.
Shougo Sena — Izumi's older brother whose protectiveness and awareness of what's happening provides the series' best comedy.
Art Style
Eiki and Zaou's collaboration produces clean, expressive character work — the entertainment industry settings are well-realized, and the comedic timing is strong.
Cultural Context
Love Stage!! ran in Monthly Comic ZERO-SUM from 2010 to 2013. The entertainment industry setting draws from genuine elements of Japanese idol and talent culture, and the family dynamic reflects the specific nature of multigenerational performance families.
What I Love About It
Shougo. The older brother who is the biggest star in Japan and is absolutely determined to protect his little brother from exactly the situation that is currently happening — and who is completely ineffective at it. His combination of enormous public presence and helplessness in his family is consistently funny.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Western readers describe Love Stage!! as the funniest boys' love manga available in English — specifically noted for the family dynamics being genuinely entertaining, for Ryoma's development being more substantial than the mistaken-identity premise suggests, and for Izumi's manga-artist aspiration being a real character thread rather than a decoration. Recommended for BL readers who want comedy with their romance.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
The scene where Izumi's manga — the project he has been pursuing against everyone's expectations — gets its first genuine positive response from someone in the industry, and Ryoma understands what this means to him, is the series' most emotionally sincere moment.
Similar Manga
- Sekaiichi Hatsukoi — BL with similar publishing-industry setting and character warmth
- Junjou Romantica — Nakamura BL with similar comedic character dynamics
- Don't Be Cruel — SuBLime BL with similar comedic energy
- Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun — Manga-industry comedy in different register
Reading Order / Where to Start
Volume 1 — The family introduction, the commercial situation, and Ryoma's discovery establish everything.
Official English Translation Status
SuBLime (Viz Media imprint) published the complete English series. All 7 volumes available.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Comedy-forward with genuine entertainment family setting
- Shougo is an excellent secondary character
- Izumi's manga aspiration is a real character thread
- Complete in 7 volumes
Cons
- M-rated content throughout
- Mistaken-identity beginning requires some reader goodwill
- Lighter register may not satisfy readers wanting deep romance
Format Comparison
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Individual Volumes | SuBLime (Viz imprint); complete series |
| Digital | Available |
Where to Buy
Get Love Stage!! Vol. 1 on Amazon →
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*Affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.