Perfect World (パーフェクトワールド) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rie Aruga. First published in 2015 and serialized until 2021, it is a romantic drama. Kodansha USA has started releasing an English translation.
Tsugumi Kawana has always nursed a crush on her senpai, Itsuki Ayakawa. She gave up her dreams of being a painter to study interior design while wondering what happened to the star basketball player who studied architecture. After a get-together with an architecture firm, she runs into Itsuki again...and sees that he's using a wheelchair. An accident left Itsuki with a spinal cord injury, and he's been remaining single because of that. Tsugumi realizes that she still has feelings for Itsuki while wanting to respect his wishes for independence. She gains the courage to confess to him, and they start a relationship.
Tropes for this manga include:
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Tsugumi's parents disapproved of the relationship that Tsugumi had with Itsuki, believing the man would be a burden on her. After her dad breaks his leg and has to use a wheelchair, he's shocked when Tsugumi reveals that she and Itsuki broke up a while ago and didn't tell them. You can see a look of guilt on his face that he got what he wanted, but his daughter is obviously in pain.
- Clueless Chick-Magnet: Justified by Itsuki's state of mind; after the accident, he believes that any romantic relationship will put a burden on the girls in his life. He's even oblivious to the fact that his main caretaker has fallen for him, Tsugumi likes him and his ex wanted to care for him.
- Dogged Nice Guy: Hirotaka Koreda has also nursed a crush on a high school friend, in this case, Tsugumi. He feels like a coward for never confessing his feelings towards her, and constantly makes himself available to help her out. The downside of this is that Tsugumi feels pressured by the fact that he thinks that Itsuki is not worthy of dating her.
- Handicapped Badass: A sad subversion. Itsuki wishes that he were this, but as it is while he's great at wheelchair basketball, saving the woman he loves from falling onto a railroad line is beyond his capabilities.
- Mirror Character: While broken up with Itsuki in Volume 5, Tsugumi runs into a man named Keigo that loves a chronically ill woman and wants to build a house for her. They talk about the fact that the ones they love have pushed them away, thinking that a separation would make their lives easier.
- Parental Marriage Veto: Tsugumi's parents, more so her dad, vocally disapprove when they find out that she's dating Itsuki. Her mom keeps asking the And Then What? about if they're going to get married and can Itsuki even have children. The stress of their disapproval causes Tsugumi to develop a high fever and fracture her leg when she collapses.
- Tears of Joy: One of Keigo's friends sheds these after trying one of his meals. Tsugumi wonders how much of it is the sake.
