Momo Adachi

Momo Adachi is the titular character of Peach Girl. She is a high school student with an undeserved bad reputation. She has a dark tan and bleached hair from being on the swim team, and unlike other girls, her tan takes forever to fade. Because of her appearance, people stereotype her as a "beach bunny" or "playgirl." No one knows the real Momo.

The only girl who will talk to her is Sae Kashiwagi, but Sae is no friend. She is strangely jealous of Momo. She hates her, yet subconsciously wants to BE her, as she is always copying Momo, both in clothing accessories and in whatever boy Momo is interested in. Momo knows Sae will snatch up any guy Momo likes, so to throw her off her trail, Momo lies and tells Sae that she has a crush on Kairi. Sae believes Momo and immediately tries to get Kairi, but Kairi rejects her. Humiliated, Sae begins spreading rumors about Momo, and tries to derail her budding relationship with her real love, Toji.

Sae lies, Toji believes her, and soon the whole class is turned against Momo, and the only friend she has is Kairi, who supports her, but also develops romantic feelings for her.

Eventually, with Kairi's help, Sae is exposed as the liar she is, and Momo and Toji can finally have a real relationship.

Unfortunately, Sae regains her social power when she begins dating a model, Goro "Gigolo" Oji. She brags and brags about all the money he spends on her, trying to make Momo jealous, but Momo is unaffected because she already has the one thing in the world she wants-- her true love, Toji. This only makes Sae angrier. Sae is only happy if Momo is miserable.

Sae constructs an elaborate scheme to drug Momo and have Goro rape her while she's unconscious. Sae gets pictures of Momo and Goro in a hotel room together, and threatens to sell them to tabloids if Toji doesn't break up with Momo and go out with her. Toji struggles, but then makes the decision to bow to Sae's demands, and Momo is heartbroken.

Kairi helps Momo through the breakup, and eventually she falls for him and they begin a relationship, which is continued in the next series, Peach Girl: Change of Heart.

Character development:

Momo begins the story as insecure and short-tempered, not hesitating to scream at Sae in front of everyone and punch Kairi when he gets out of line.

Over the course of the story she matures and becomes less violent. She also learns to forgive, as she makes mistakes and people forgive her. By the end of the story, despite all the terrible things Sae has done to her, Momo considers Sae a friend and actually cares about her life and well-being. Momo goes from being a temperamental teen to a rational, mature young adult.