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sticky_icky's review
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
paz_books's review
3.0
This was a pretty good first volume. It has set itself up for future volumes really well, and I absolutely adore the art style. The plot was pretty generic however, and this rating would have been a lot higher if not for some of the fat-phobic and judgmental tendencies of the main girl. I understand that the main girl is meant to be this shallow popular teenager, but the volume doesn't even try to make it obvious that her fat-phobic comments are bad, it makes it kind of natural and without backlash. However, that being said, it was still an enjoyable read and I'm curious to see where it'll go.
dinnureads's review
3.0
The main character is a bit annoying, otherwise it’s pretty regular cutesy shoujo manga.
dame_samara's review
3.0
It's Gay. . .potentially?
I honestly didn't enjoy this manga, not due to it not being super in my face about it being gay. (The gayness portrayed feels like the standard comedic relief we'd see in any romance manga)
I'm interested in Koshiba, she seems sweet and I can see so much there. But I found myself hating Sahoko, and even more so her friends (Anna in particular).
Every bit of this manga felt forced, or much like Sahoko fake on the surface.
It wasn't for me that's for sure and if you're looking for sweet gay fluff, it's not for you either.
I honestly didn't enjoy this manga, not due to it not being super in my face about it being gay. (The gayness portrayed feels like the standard comedic relief we'd see in any romance manga)
I'm interested in Koshiba, she seems sweet and I can see so much there. But I found myself hating Sahoko, and even more so her friends (Anna in particular).
Every bit of this manga felt forced, or much like Sahoko fake on the surface.
It wasn't for me that's for sure and if you're looking for sweet gay fluff, it's not for you either.
kjerstig's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
samuraibunny's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not much happens in this book. There is setup for exploring the relationship between the two characters in the coming books, but I do wish more happened in this book.
the_vegan_bookworm's review
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, and Death of parent
cekwrites's review
5.0
I'd really like to thank the publisher, Netgalley, and Hazuki Takeoka & Fly for allowing me to read this digital arc!
Sahoko Narita has refined her image to the popular girl she always wanted to be. She hangs out with Anna Inaba, the "half-Japanese beauty" and Riko Watanabe, the kawaii girl with quite the personality. They're the IT girls. Everyone wants to be them, or fall in love with them. Narita-san also lives on her Instagram, defining her worth by how many likes she gets on a single post.
Aoi Koshiba was the basketball star of her Junior High team. She hangs out with the bros and is an active member of the home economics club. She often rushes home after school and doesn't have time to hang out, and Narita-san wants to know why. It's an unlikely duo the pair form, as Sahoko figures out how to navigate the feelings she develops for the mysterious Aoi Koshiba.
actual rating: 4.5 stars
+1: gay; gay gay gay gay gay!!! ugh the gay panic in here is so so good, and the characters surrounding Aoi and Sahoko just add to it, especially the dynamic between Aoi and Sahoko's friend group.
+1.75: art style; oh my god the art in here is beautiful. *chef's kiss* it's great and makes for such a compelling read along with the actual arcs the characters are going through. I think I finished this read in 45 minutes total.
+0,75: pacing; the pacing in here is definitely on-par for ~200 pages of manga. The time jumps were a bit confusing, but that's likely just because I'm not as used to reading manga as I am to reading standard novels. Also I am American, not Japanese, so it was a bit odd for me to have a class reunion only a few years into university, where here we usually have them like every 10 years.
+1: vibes; this honestly had such good general vibes and I don't have much else to say on this topic. I'm mad stressed about university and my classes right now, and this was a really nice little escape.
-0.5: character development; I feel like the development was a bit rushed here, but it is just the first edition of what I'm assuming will be a good series of mangas, so I'm not incredibly worried about this department.
Sahoko Narita has refined her image to the popular girl she always wanted to be. She hangs out with Anna Inaba, the "half-Japanese beauty" and Riko Watanabe, the kawaii girl with quite the personality. They're the IT girls. Everyone wants to be them, or fall in love with them. Narita-san also lives on her Instagram, defining her worth by how many likes she gets on a single post.
Aoi Koshiba was the basketball star of her Junior High team. She hangs out with the bros and is an active member of the home economics club. She often rushes home after school and doesn't have time to hang out, and Narita-san wants to know why. It's an unlikely duo the pair form, as Sahoko figures out how to navigate the feelings she develops for the mysterious Aoi Koshiba.
actual rating: 4.5 stars
+1: gay; gay gay gay gay gay!!! ugh the gay panic in here is so so good, and the characters surrounding Aoi and Sahoko just add to it, especially the dynamic between Aoi and Sahoko's friend group.
+1.75: art style; oh my god the art in here is beautiful. *chef's kiss* it's great and makes for such a compelling read along with the actual arcs the characters are going through. I think I finished this read in 45 minutes total.
+0,75: pacing; the pacing in here is definitely on-par for ~200 pages of manga. The time jumps were a bit confusing, but that's likely just because I'm not as used to reading manga as I am to reading standard novels. Also I am American, not Japanese, so it was a bit odd for me to have a class reunion only a few years into university, where here we usually have them like every 10 years.
+1: vibes; this honestly had such good general vibes and I don't have much else to say on this topic. I'm mad stressed about university and my classes right now, and this was a really nice little escape.
-0.5: character development; I feel like the development was a bit rushed here, but it is just the first edition of what I'm assuming will be a good series of mangas, so I'm not incredibly worried about this department.
arisia's review
3.0
While this seems mostly a typical, trope-heavy yuri high school story, its narrative frame supplies some welcome suspense: protag Sahoko and the titular Aoi formed a bond years ago, but events since then have put distance between them.
There are no major flaws here, but not a lot that stands out either. I will say that I do find Sahoko a charming protagonist, whose internal thoughts add a lot of humor precisely because of how petty (yet guileless) they often are.
Overall, this series seems to be pinning its hopes on the tension built by the mystery of "What happened between these two?" Whether it rises above its modest beginnings will depend on how well it unravels the tale connecting Saho and Aoi's past and present.
(Review copy provided by Kodansha via NetGalley)
There are no major flaws here, but not a lot that stands out either. I will say that I do find Sahoko a charming protagonist, whose internal thoughts add a lot of humor precisely because of how petty (yet guileless) they often are.
Overall, this series seems to be pinning its hopes on the tension built by the mystery of "What happened between these two?" Whether it rises above its modest beginnings will depend on how well it unravels the tale connecting Saho and Aoi's past and present.
(Review copy provided by Kodansha via NetGalley)