A promise not forgotten

"Pearl Pink" Vol 1, by Meca Tanaka ($9.99, Tokyopop, Romance for ages 13+)

Ah, first loves. When a little girl asks a young boy if she could be his wife, he says yes, but only if she stops being a crybaby.

Ten years later, that little girl, Tamako, has become quite the petite bruiser, and she plans to make the teenage Kanji stick to his promise.

The cast of crazy characters -- the TV/pop idol mother who must keep her daughter Tamako a secret, Kanji and his dad's zoo of a talent agency, and an aspiring pop idol singer -- is the heart of this manga. You can't help but like this oddball crew.