I'm surprised to see Oiran Girl has never been reviewed on MAL. Although it's a regular historical shoujo in terms of story (heroine that lost all her fortune, forbidden love, the dashing hero who protects her and is obviously deeply in love but is bound by the shackles of their previous master/servant relationship, the obvious historical setting of Yoshiwara, yada yada, you know the drill), the delicious art and the most wonderful expressions of the characters turn it into a worthy read. Obviously, not the first and not the most original manga about Yoshiwara, it still manages to grab and hold your attention from the beginning until the very end. You can see how much time and effort the mangaka has invested into research in the great detail of art, especially the kimonos and hair accessories. Personally, I was captivated by both masculine Shin and his oiran personality Takao. The gender-bender is a major part of the story and how Shin switches into Takao-mode and back was done very well - the eyes, the expressions, the attitude - you just have to see it! The way Takao bullies Tsubaki and their constant banter are a great comedic relief, but each time Shin surfaces, he makes your heart swoon. Towards the end the manga becomes a bit rushed, but it still manages to wrap everything up nicely. Although the story is weak at times and the character development is quite obvious, my overall score is a solid 9, simply because Oiran Girl is a very beautiful and enjoyable manga.