The Girl That Can't Get a Girlfriend - by Mieri Hiranishi (Paperback)

About the Book

"Mieri is an awkward, nerdy college student with no dating experience, and her previous crushes on fellow butch women have all ended in disaster. That all changes when she meets Ash and has her feelings returned for the first time. But when first love turns to first heartbreak, Mieri will do everything possible to win Ash back."--

Book Synopsis

From first crush to first crushed! The autobiographical manga about one woman's quest for the hot short-haired girlfriend of her dreams!

The autobiographical manga about one woman's quest for the hot, short-haired girlfriend of her dreams!

Mieri is an awkward, nerdy college student with no dating experience, and her previous crushes on fellow butch women have all ended in disaster. That all changes when she meets Ash and has her feelings returned for the first time. But when first love turns to first heartbreak, Mieri will do everything possible to win Ash back. Based on true events, this is a hilarious and heart-wrenching story about love, loneliness, and the true meaning of finding one's own happy ending.

Review Quotes

Alex Award Nominee 2024

"Many young readers will see their struggles in Mieri and relate to her journey, regardless of the types of people to whom they find themselves attracted." -School Library Journal

"Mieri Hiranishi's charming, expressive cartooning brings brilliant life to this earnest and sharply hilarious story about hope, heartbreak, and healing! I couldn't put it down!" -Carey Pietsch, co-adapter and artist, The Adventure Zone


"The Girl That Can't Get a Girlfriend strikes the precarious balance between being universally understandable and being unquestionably unique in its perspective." -AnimeCorner

"Comedic and at many points bittersweet, this manga dives into why loving oneself is essential. Hiranishi's honest examination of her past relationships and how she eventually pulled herself out of heartbreak's grasp make for a truly compelling read." -Booklist

"Every blue moon, a book or film or show comes out that a wide swath of people can grasp and say, "That's me. I feel this." I deeply believe we have found the 2023 version of that in The Girl That Can't Get A Girlfriend." -The Mary Sue

"The book has impeccable pacing and is engaging from start to finish. The humorous art enhances the narrative in a meaningful way, especially in portraying Mieri's own emotional journey. A delightful exploration of navigating the bumpy road to adulthood." -Kirkus Reviews

"This is a charming and heartfelt first-person account of love, heartbreak, and discovering what it means to be happy."-BookRiot

"This slice-of-life manga provides a bittersweet lens as readers experience her "character" arc and the growth that comes with experience and aging. The Girl That Can't Get a Girlfriend provides stories of personal embarrassment and youthful mistakes, which will be relatable to manga fans who have similarly struggled to find someone special they can be themselves and feel safe with." -Screenrant

About the Author

Mieri Hiranishi is a Japanese manga artist currently living abroad in the US. Her debut work, The Girl That Can't Get a Girlfriend, gained popularity online after she shared it as a hobby while working a full-time office job.