So close yet so far.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Nariie Shinichirou
Translation: Jess Leif
Adaptation: Solo Mia
Lettering: Carl Vanstiphout
What They Say
Inose Hinata, 35, is a hopelessly single, attractive woman who runs an English conversation school out of her apartment. But everything changes one fateful evening when Shotaro, a former student, knocks on her door—and he’s no longer the shy kid she remembers. At 18, just about to finish high school, Shotaro has transformed into an irresistibly hunky, confident young man. Even more shocking, he asks for her hand in marriage!
Seventeen years her junior, Shotaro’s maturity, charm, and burning passion leave Hinata breathless. As the lines between their past teacher-student relationship begin to blur, can Hinata resist his hot and heavy advances? And, more importantly, does she even want to?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Known originally as Oshiego-kun to wa Dekimasen, it’s also searchable as 教え子くんとはできません, and it’s localized as My Former Student is a Hunk?! for the English release. The manga comes from Nariie Shinichirou, which began in 2023 and is ongoing with one volume as of the start of these reviews. Full volume reviews just aren’t my jam or in my workflow, especially an omnibus, so I wanted to work through a series on my own schedule and spend the time to talk about it chapter by chapter. Seven Seas Entertainment picked it up in English, with its first volume arriving in January 2026, giving fans a new series to read through its Steamship imprint that’s designed for “sexy romance for women,” which invariably includes me because this kind of stuff is my jam.
Shotaro and Hinata spending time together so close was always going to be dangerous, but the reveals that have been made while Shotaro talks about his time with Fujieda has just pushed things further than expected. He’s able to capitalize on his first kiss with her in a big way because he doesn’t know restraint, and she knows full well this is the fumbling of someone inexperienced. But we also see through her perspective how the smell and scene of boys this age has been a thing for her for years, and it’s kind of overwhelming her in the here and now. So much so that she’s really and truly weakening against saying no to him, and the two are getting even closer physically. For Shotaro, it’s confusing enough but something he can’t seem to stop, while for Hinata, she understands the wrong of it in some social sense, but he’s doing so much right.
And we see just how much her body is responding, both in the moment and afterward, that it truly surprises her since it’s never happened before. A little taboo goes a long way, Hinata. That she lets him basically start not just fondling her breasts but to bury his face there, though still keeping her top on, is huge, especially since she’s offering to show him what’s underneath. The poor boy doesn’t know what to do with himself. So it’s comically unlucky that that’s when Togo comes back to the door looking for his pencil case, causing the two to stop and for her to put some distance between her and Shotaro. Togo’s a reminder of how things can go from an early time, but she’s also not sending Shotaro away completely because, as we see at the very end, he’s had a huge impact on her in a way she can’t discount. It’s going to become compelling and that’s when the fun will start.
In Summary:
The first volume draws to a close with these two chapters, and it’s certainly going to have people either committed to more or just never coming back. Honestly, those who would never come back likely dropped out several chapters ago. Those who stick around, well, you get some of your semi-taboo material here because everything is above board in most ways, but it comes down to personal morals and your own view on things. And then it’s a matter of how much of that should be put onto others, or just kept to your own life. Regardless, this is an easily complicated title for many, but it’s playing it pretty well with some really fun moments, some awkward moments, and times when you’re just like, “Oh, honey, no.” I’m looking forward to more when it finally becomes available.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: +
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Seven Seas Entertainment
Chris Beveridge
http://www.fandompost.com
Chris has been writing about anime, manga, movies and comics for well on twenty years now. He began AnimeOnDVD.com back in 1998 and has covered nearly every anime release that’s come out in the US ever since.
He likes to write a lot, as you can see.
