Fukuyama Ryoko | Nousatsu Junkie

Japanese: 悩殺ジャンキー
English: Charming Junkie
Synonyms: Nozoite Mitakute Shikatanai, Kaeru ga Iku Taiwan na Hibi, Peeping, Charming Junkie
Type: Manga
Volumes: 16
Chapters: 96
Status: Completed
Published: Oct 4, 2003 to Nov 20, 2008
Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Shoujo
Mangaka: Fukuyama Ryoko (Story & Art)
Serialization: Hana to Yume

Synopsis: Naka is an aspiring young model with a problem: her face tenses up into a terrifying spectacle whenever she gets nervous on photo shoots! Naka's rival is Umi, the hottest model at their agency. But Naka soon discovers Umi's secret--and hilarity ensues behind the cameras!

Groups Scanlating

Charming Scanlators

Shoujo's World

Shoujoshare

kyonpyon

English publisher

TokyoPop (6 Volumes - Defunct) 

Source: MAL Manga info, Baka updates, Bato.to

Side notes: I picked this manga mainly 'cause it's popular and a bit different from the mainstream. Still even though it has its funny moments it's not my favorite manga to read which is due of the art style that is varying a lot. It feels like the author is trying to compromise between the shoujo and shounen style of drawing and mix them together so it'd be best of the both worlds but I can't see that.>.< Story can be said being filled with classic material for a shoujo gender bender manga though the girl isn't this time trying to be a boy as it is in many cases.^-^ But there is lots to read and the art style probably changes after the start so if you like romance / comedy with some classic feel to it this could be something that you like.

Main characters

Naka Kaburagi

A 14 year old unpopular model whose face looks like a criminal's when she's nervous. She got rejected by her senpai who prefers Umi's charming smile. She is out to get the secret of Umi's smile and become a top model like Umi to get back at her senpai.

Umi hits her, kicks her, and sexually harasses her but he's also so much more important to her than stopping her hundredth failures and not giving up. She grows close to Umi and starts to care for him after he accepts her for who she is. She falls in love with Umi later on. 

Umi Kajiwara (梶原海)

A 15 year old cross-dressing supermodel that enchants men and women alike with his charming smile. Umi is known for being a beautiful, charming female supermodel when in reality ‘she’ is actually a rude, perverted he who lacks tact and social restraint when being himself. In the beginning of the series Umi’s true gender is only known by the president, referred throughout the series as Ms. President, of Boom! modeling agency, the agency that employs both Umi and Naka, and Naka herself. While he choose to reveal his gender to Ms. President, Naka stumbles across Umi’s true gender by accident which leads him to offer her a modeling job for the popular clothing brand “Junk” in exchange for her silence.

Soon after Naka discovers Umi secret it is revealed he is also the president of her high school, something she had never noticed before since he is in his true gender while at school. Also while at school, Umi doesn’t hold back his true personality which causes him to have a reputation as demon and to be feared by most of the student body. Surprisingly, despite his low attendance Umi has top grades and always makes sure everything for the student council is handled a in a business-like fashion.

Umi is hinted to have feelings for Naka at the beginning of the series, shown through his constant sexual harassment and embarrassment when Naka compliments him. When Tsutsumi Ikue appears and shows a very blatant interest in Naka, Umi’s feelings become clear and he even confesses he is in love with Naka to Ms. President.

Though Umi is shown to be very two-faced and cruel throughout the series, he has a softer side which is generally shown when dealing with Naka or matters concerning Naka. Also as time progresses Umi is shown becoming more and more masculine in looks and therefore threatening his chance of ever becoming the face for “Heki”. 

Source: MAL