Being that I identified with Ai Maekawa, I particularly enjoyed this series. (I too was a girl that blossomed in high school). It's short, which helps the storyline to move along without much filler. The story is definitely deeper than a high school girl trying to rise to popularity; it focuses more on the psychological struggles of a girl thrust into the high school spotlight (without getting too deep). If anything, this series somewhat spoofs the whole high school hierarchy issue. And it definitely has quite a few "OMG what?" *burst into laughter* moments. I own all the volumes and re-read them often.