The manga features a series of short stories about eight girls in middle school and high school, plus their classmates and relatives. Each chapter focuses on a different main character. These stories are intertwined and eventually lead to a main story involving most of the cast. A series relating the intertwined stories about the "first loves" of several middle-schoolers and high-schoolers. Each episode tends to focus on a different character, however the developments established during previous episodes continue to play smaller roles in those following. As the series progresses, an array of unusual and unexpected love webs begin to blossom.
Hatsukoi Limited was serialized by Shueisha in the Japanese shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from October 1, 2007 to May 26, 2008. The 32 chapters were collected in four bound volumes. Each chapter is a separate story following one or more of the eight main characters. The series is licensed in Hong Kong by CultureCom Comics, in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing and in Italy by Star Comics.
Drama CD
A drama CD adaptation was released by Shueisha on 16 February 2009.
Light novel
A light novel adaptation written by Sawako Hirabayasi called Winter Photography was published by Shueisha on 23 March 2009.
Anime
The anime television series adaptation was produced by J.C.Staff, written by Mariko Kunisawa, and directed by Yoshiki Yamakawa, with character designs by Tomoyuki Shitaya. The opening theme is "Future Stream" by sphere, and the ending theme is "Hatsukoi Limited" by marble. The series debuted on April 11, 2009 on in Japan on BS11, and completed on June 27, 2009 with the twelfth episode.
Reception
The first volume of First Love Limited reached number 10 on the Tohan list of best-selling manga in the week it was released. The opening episode was rated 4 out of 5 by Anime News Network's Theron Martin, who described it as "surprisingly funny and even occasionally sweet" despite "a typical set-up and an overused plot device." Carlo Santos rated the episode 2.5 out of 5, saying "this would be a lot more appealing if the plot weren't so cut-and-dried and the characters weren't so transparent,". Carl Kimlinger gave it 3 ½, citing the episode's sensitivity to the character's emotions and that the "female cast is downright delectable, the fan-service lovingly animated, and the overall look realistic."
