2.5/5.0:
I originally had a good impression of Paradise Kiss. There are so many good reviews, and I adored Nana, so I thought I would have a good time reading it. The plot, I feel, is typical for a Shojo. The difference is that the characters did not have any padding- showing real-world topics, yes, but it is definitely not charming.
Yukari is not likable. She is overly judgemental, defensive, and rude- I can only hope they made her this way to show growth. She has a "holier than thou" attitude that I despise. Her overall attitude toward the queer community around her was appalling, too, and the book tried to pass it as acceptable. The other characters are not off my radar, either. The overall story is questionable or annoying at best.

TW for sexual assault and rape mentions.
I have one major problem with the first volume: the sexual assault jokes. In the first few panels, Yukari is stopped in the street by Miwako (forcefully). After she runs away, she expresses anxiety that he is "gonna rob me! or rape me! or kill me!" Her fear is not invalid. That is not what I have a problem with- it's the fact it is portrayed as a joke. Stage two, when George picks her up for her ID, the text is joking about rape again while they are comedically driving: "...But I'm a virgin! I don't want my first time to be with a guy like him!" Yukari's crush, Hiroyuki, asks if she changed her hair. His friend interrupts him, saying, "Don't comment on a girls' hair. That's sexual harassment. You'll get sued." Yukari says, "It's fine, Tokumori [Hiroyuki]." while thinking in her mind, "You can sexually harass me any time." The constant light of assault is incredibly appalling and insensitive, and I don't understand why anyone could excuse it. There are no explicit scenes, but dismissing real-life fears and experiences is still harmful. I hope going forward in the series, they stop joking.