Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!!, alternatively known as The Lovin' "S", is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gō Ikeyamada. It began its serialization in October 2008 in the magazine Sho-Comi and ended in June 2012. The chapters are collected and bound in tankōbon format by Shogakukan under the Flower Comics label. The story is separated into two arcs, the first arc focusing on the main characters during their middle school years and the latter half when all of them are 17 years old. An original video animation for the series was released in late 2009, along with a game for the Nintendo DSin the summer of 2010.
Plot
At age 13, four classmates have just started junior high school: Sayaka, Hikaru, Chihiro, and Shinobu. While Sayaka and Hikaru instantly develop an attraction towards each other, Chihiro, Hikaru's childhood friend, secretly pines for him while the spoiled Shinobu falls in love with Chihiro. Throughout their junior high years, the four sort out their feelings. During their second year of junior high, at the age of 15, all of them break off relations with their love. However, when they are all reunited at the age of 17, during their second year of high school, everything has changed, and they cannot go back to what they used to be. But, after many sadness has happened all of them finally have become 2 couples and in the end there is a story where they got married.
Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!! ran in the monthly manga magazine Shōjo Comic since October 20, 2008 and ended on September 26, 2012. The chapters are collected and published by Shogakukan into tankōbon under the Flower Comics imprint. There are eighteen bound volumes in total, with the first volume released on December 24, 2008.
Anime
An original video animation for Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!! was released on December 18, 2009 directly onto DVD along with 2010's first issue of Sho-Comi. The OVA is an animated re-enactment of the first chapter of the manga. A second episode was also released on DVD and was distributed with the Suzuki-kun!! fanbook released on July 26, 2010. It is a re-enactment of chapters 15 and 16 of the manga.
Light Novel
A light novel titled Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!! Pure White Love was written by Yui Tokiumi and was overseen and illustrated by Ikeyamada. The story revolves around Hikaru and Sayaka's relationship during their third year in junior high. It was released on December 24, 2009. A second light novel again written by Tokuimi, titled Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!! With Precious Heart, was released on July 26, 2010. The story takes place between volumes 7 and 8 of the manga.
Game
released a game for Nintendo DS, titled Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!! ~Yo-nin no Suzuki-kun~ on July 29, 2010. The game takes place during the summer of the characters' first year in middle school. Alongside the main cast, two new characters designed by Ikeyamada herself were introduced with the last name "Suzuki" as well: Michiru Suzuki and Hiroto Suzuki. The game uses an entirely different voice cast as opposed to the one used for the OVA. The limited edition of the game comes with a drama CD featuring the main four characters, using the same voice cast for the game.
Reception
Suki Desu Suzuki-kun!! is one of the best-selling shōjo manga in Japan. The second volume sold 53,139 copies in the first week of its release and 84,946 in total. The third volume declined in sales with 43,341 copies selling on its first week and 79,865 in total, but was followed by the fourth volume debuting at #9 on the Tohan Comics Charts with 64,362 copies selling in its first week and 89,945 in total. The fifth volume debuted at #6 with 77,911 copies selling on its first week. The sixth volume sold 58,972 copies on its first week and 111,701 copies in total. The seventh volume sold 62,783 copies on its first week and 117,021 in total. The eighth volume topped the Oricon Comics Chart in the first week of sales, selling 113,202 copies weekly and 113,710 in total. It was the 35th best-selling manga series in Japan in 2011, with 1,264,317 copies. It sold 1,607,178 copies between November 21, 2011 and November 18, 2012. The manga was ranked one of the top 10 shōjo manga "with heart-wrenching scenes" in the July 2010 issue of Junon by its readers.
