The Knockout Makers by Kyoko Hashimoto

Title: The Knockout Makers
Mangaka: Kyoko Hashimoto
Age Group: Teens
# of Pages: Approx. 200
# of Volumes: 3
My Rating: 3.5/5

When you don't feel your prettiest, don't you wish for someone out there to transform you? Well then you want the Knockout Makers on your team!

Consisting of a woman-loving hairstylist (Nobuo), a young makeup artist (Toshihiro), and rich beauty basics expert (Ryohei), KOM are here for your makeover needs! Their site is opened up for ten minutes at midnight for requests. If you are lucky, you may be their next client!

Follow the trio as they help many low self-esteemed girls find their inner beauty and confess to their love!

With makeup tips and style for all kinds of girls, The Knockout Makers is a day-to-day series that does not focus on the individuals of the team. Instead, every one to two chapters there would be a new scenario with a different client. (Most with love problems). I think it's really cute how they change a plain girl into a prettier version of herself using simple tricks. I really wish the makeup tips was expanded on. They generally just go like, "Bistre shadow to line the eyes and grades of coral for the eyelid" and then move on. It would be great if the mangaka actually showed the technique of how to apply certain makeups because that would be a real treat for the reader. (Well, I personally think it's a cool idea to combine makeup with manga).

I'm a little disappointed that the manga does not go further than what happens to the clients before and after their makeovers. I would like to know more about Nobuo, Toshihiro, and Ryohei but I guess I never will except for the surface that was skimmed over throughout the three volumes.

There is one thing that has been bothering me and that is the hairstylist Nobuo's ears. For some strange reason, they are pointier than normal. When I first time came into reading the series, I was like, "Is this guy an elf?". I was actually waiting for some fantasy element to be thrown into the plot. Surprisingly, there was none and it was a normal realistic fiction.

The Knockout Makers is original in terms of the idea of giving girls makeovers but the way it is delivered is not so hard-hitting. It's something fun to read during the moment but could be forgettable later on down the road.