Orange

This is one of the most honest, relevant, and beautiful graphic novels I have ever read. While the story is by no means a happy one and may not resonate as strongly with everyone, there is no shortage of situations and thoughts to which readers can relate (and probably have related, at some point in their life). What this manga might lack in storyline is easily forgiven in light of Zhang Bin's amazing full-color artwork, painterly and often brilliantly vibrant in contrast to the tone of the story. The combination is both dichotomous and truly delightful at once - bright colors to balance out some the dark themes.

Bottom line: this is a quick and easy read that will dazzle your eyes and leave your brain full of ponderings, long after you've turned the last page.

According to the author note, this was never planned to be a comic. This was a series of drawings they strung together afterwards with narration to resemble a character study. They didn’t know what was drawn. Just that it was sad.

No wonder, because despite decent standalone pictures it DOES NOT translate well to graphic novel storytelling. All we get is a series of semi-photorealistic portraits with repetitive angsty narration. No character arcs are ever explored. It’s just one wreck of a lost girl in a world of constantly blurry pictures screaming. Quite frankly, this was one of the whiniest comics I’ve read and I regret paying to read this. Selling my copy as soon as possible.

If you’re interested in this type of story, go watch Anno’s Love and Pop.

The art in this graphic novel is outstanding. I first read this because a fellow staff member confiscated it during a summer camp for mature content. I spent a lot of time flipping through it, just looking at the art-- not even observing the story line. It doesn't matter that the main character Orange is hard to connect to because she's whiney and selfish, the art itself makes this manga worth reading at least once.
I had a very hard time liking the main character of this graphic novel. She was whiney and self entitled-- a condition which she never recovered from during the plot line.
Even though the characters lack redeeming qualities and the story line was just okay, I would consider this a must read.

Orange show a needy youth, unable to building own life and to be happiness and which is losing the faith in the adults. The main character doesn't feel more nothing, she is losing in this chaotic world and she do strange thoughts about the life. But the love for a strange alcoholic man, who is at the appearance uncaring and inconclusive, it will changes herself.
The story is a lot strange in some point, but anyway intrigue until at the surreal ending. The characters practically are only Orange and the alcoholic man, they have a good characterization, especially for Orange we can see the whirlwind of self-destruction thoughts, we can feel the oppression in the soul of her, and I very like this, because she appear for who have to be in the story, namely a problematic young.

But the real strong point of this manhua isn't the story, but the draw. Sincerely I bought it because I was attract by the cover, one of the amazing cover that I ever seen in a comic. But each page is pure art, Benjamin have great tastes for the colors and a particular style, this comic seems more a collection of paintings, about the art is one of the best comic of always.

Orange can like who search stories different by the usual manga, and for who give more importance at the draw respect the story.

Comecei a ler por recomendação, e achei que não passaria de um romance bobo com uma história rasa, mas ainda assim li. Li e não me arrependi.
Chega a ser genial o envolvimento dos personagens com a história, a forma que o autor a conduz e as consequências que cada ato gera nela.
Em poucas palavras e evitando spoilers: É uma história que te prende, que te faz querer continuar e que te dá aquele "gostinho de quero mais" ao final.

----SPOILERS----

A verdade é: Ninguém queria que o destino de Kakeru se cumprisse, e sabíamos que isso não ia se repetir. Mas mesmo assim, todos os pontos na história se encaixam de uma forma que não são nada previsíveis, exatamente pela personalidade teimosa da Naho.
Um ponto bem explorado é o conceito de que mesmo as coisas mais bobas podem influenciar o futuro, mas a natureza dos personagens não muda, e isso é claro.
Coisas como o atraso de Kakeru e o suicídio da mãe dele foram coisas imutáveis e que deram uma certa pressão. O mais simples de se pensar é que tudo se resolveria apenas por causa da carta.
O final também foi ótimo. "Kakeru não está mais conosco", é a mensagem dada por uma "Naho do futuro". Desde o início, imaginei que Kakeru ia SIM tentar se suicidar, mas no final alguém ia salvar ele, colocando no plot a desculpa já manjada de "oh, obrigado por salvar minha vida!". Mas não, o próprio Kakeru se lembra das mudanças simples cometidas por Naho e seus amigos, mesmo que seja uma marmita preparada por ela, o que mostra que mesmo o mais simples no dia a dia pode mudar o futuro. Adorei isso.
A última cena foi previsível, até, mas isso não tira o mérito da história que se desenrolou até lá. Nota 10, sem esforços.

This was probably the last genre I'd ever thought I'd end up reading, but I did anyway after reading a post on Manga Therapy about what a good manga this was. I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the flaws, I am very glad that I had the opportunity to read this.

Story: 7
Like I said, I haven't read much slice-of-life, so I cannot accurately compare this storylines to the storylines of any other slice-of-life manga. However, I can say that the storyline was pretty linear until it showed the future; then it was a little negligent. I would have liked it more if the storyline showed the troubles of the other characters; that would have made it more touching to know that despite the troubles of the characters, they still are trying their hardest to make Kakeru happy. Then there's that weird time travel stuff. That was just....whatever. Not a lot of effort was put forth in developing the whys and hows, but it gave the manga a neat twist.

Art: 9
The art really fit. It wonderfully portrayed emotions, and I loved how the text from the letters was shown as the story progressed; that gave it an eerie feeling....

Characters: 6
Meh. You know those super illustrious individual characters that everyone loves to love or hates to hate? Not found here. The characters were really great as a group. The little things that they would do, the lengths that they would go to, made me cry (and I'm rather cold-hearted as is). Separately they were bland, generic characters with thin veneers of personality. "Bland" in the sense that they were unrealistically pure in their motives, feelings, etc....I think Suwa and Kakeru were the most well-developed characters.

Enjoyment: 8
I cried when Kakeru described his depression. Accurate to the point of being eerie (second time I've used that word to describe this manga).

Overall: 8
Would be a 10 if not for the characters. But despite your misgivings, whatever you heard, you inclinations, whatever, read this. There is some beautiful insight in this manga that you shouldn't pass up the chance to read.

Naho and Kakeru's story is heartbreakingly beautiful, indeed a masterpiece. Let's wait and see Orange become a classic in no time. Hands down to Takano Ichigo sensei. What I love about Orange is that it tackles about mental illness/depression and suicide, which is /I guess/ rare for your typical shoujo manga, it's also brave because people nowadays needs to be aware how serious depression is. It's cute, yes, but this manga deals with more serious issues. I'm not into sci-fi but the time travel/parallel world amazed me in this one. I had goose bumps while reading the last part. The story is promising, the art is great and detailed, I have some issue with the characters but it's fine, I love Suwa anyways. Meh!


Review posted in Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1709483904?book_show_action=false

I'll just skip the synopsis thing and pass directly to the important part.

Story - 9: It surely is a refreshing shoujo manga, adding some sci-fi to give it an interesting argument that makes you want to know if the characters will be able to accomplish their goals. Although they have the same typical events from a manga shoujo they're affected by the "knowing of the future" premise that is pretty cool.

Art - 8: It's good but a little bland, lacks backgrounds sometimes or just use simple ones. Still I like that some places actually exist and you can see the map with the direction of many locations.

Characters - 8: I really love to see how a group of friends actually are together instead of the girl just go behind her crush all the serie and just be with her "best friends" in a couple of occasions. Still the characters sometimes fall over and over again with the obstacle (don't have courage, depression, etc) and that a character cries almost every 5 pages can be a little annoying. Also the charaacter's development was sometimes too forced, like the main character feels always insecure until a friend tells her something "nice" (but it was always similar things all over the serie). Leaving that a side, the relationships between the characters are natural and likable.

Enjoyment - 8.5: Although is not perfect and fails in some things is very interesting to read. Also is from a decent length, instead of volumes and volumes of fillers.

-THIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILER-
In many ocassions it just got a little confused and pissed off with certain things such that "Future's Naho" was actually in love with Kakeru and viceversa even if they stopped talking each other for many days in numerous ocassions and have more bitter moments than actually romantic ones.

-END OF SPOILER-

I guess that the final message of this manga is to trust in your friends, try to find solutions with more people instead of keeping them just to yourself and that if you have the chance of doing something, you should to avoid keepng with regrets.
But all the story revolves around having regrets and maybe that's the biggest failure in the whole serie is that they don't just get over it and keep with that feeling all their life. Even if because they know what are their future's themselves regreted they try to "live to the limit", we all may be regreted about something else and we should just overcome to it and know that the life won't always be in the way we want and that we can't actually know what will happen because of our actions.
The character's don't seem to learn that, they just keep saying about sharing the problems to make them lighter, saving Kakeru, etc.

to conclude, I'll resume in here

PROS:
-Interesting premise
-Decent length
-Nice relationships between characters
-You don't get bored
-Good management of suspense
-Enjoyable comedy
-Importance of friendship and trust message

CONS:
-The character's development may be a little forced
-Confusing in some parts
-Inconsistences between the Naho & Kakeru relationship from the 'future's version.
-Needs a "You don't know the future" and "get over it" message

How I said before, this manga is interesting and engaging. If you're now an overanalyzing person and just want to break the routine from typical and cliche shoujo manga or just want to have a good time then you should check this manga or wait for the anime release!

Orange is a unique shoujo. So unique, in fact, that it made a switch to a seinen magazine at about the halfway mark.

It goes far beyond the cookie-cutter romcoms that seem to dominate the shoujo market, focusing on a dramatic, slowly-building relationship which not only involves the boy and girl falling in love, but the girl saving his life in the process.

STORY (8/10):

I've heard a lot of complaints recently about time travel anime/manga, referring to it as cliche and it making sure the characters won't get into any real danger, as there's a reset button available at any time.

However, Orange doesn't have this reset button - the manga explores some very interesting themes involving parallel worlds and alternate reality. Also, as there is no real way for the characters themselves to time travel, there is still danger that keeps the story gripping.

ART (9/10):

The art in Orange is very good. I loved the full-color pages, and this manga has a very unique way with facial expressions that can tell you a lot about a scene, even if there's little to no dialogue in said scene.

CHARACTER (7/10):

Despite the fact that I still gave the Character category a good score, this is my main issue with Orange. It has a full set of characters, the majority of which have clearly defined personalities - there's Hagita and Asusa, who fight like an old married couple but deny they like each other. Hiroto, a muscular big eater boy who is also best friends with Naho.

And then there's Naho herself.

Much to my disappointment, we didn't really learn much about Naho, other then she likes Kakeru and wants to save him. Her MAL bio basically says she likes Kakeru and wants to save him. That's pretty much her only defining character trait.

However, due to the personality of the other characters, as well as the above-average translation in which the dialogue flows very well, I was still able to give the Character category a good score.

ENJOYMENT (8/10):

I read all of Orange in one night, and it did a great job at keeping my attention through its mixture of suspenseful and sad moments, as well as some humor to keep everything from getting too depressing.

OVERALL (8/10):

I highly recommend Orange, even if you aren't traditionally a shoujo fan...or is this seinen? I really don't know. Despite my complaints about the main character, this is a very unique, enthralling manga that deserves its spot in MAL's top manga.

---

CONTENT WARNING: This manga is officially rated Teen in the North American print release. The only real content issue is mild language; however, those sensitive to the subject of suicide are advised that this manga may be hard for them to read. Anyone who can handle/comprehend the mature themes is old enough to read it in my opinion.

I was a little skeptical when I started reading this manga, but it is really heartwarming. People need to read the manga for what it is. The story is about a group of friends who wish they could’ve saved their friend. That is the premise. That is what the manga revolves around. The concept is very unique and I have never read a manga like this.

Of course, there are flaws. I wish the sci-fi theme could have went a little bit deeper. In my opinion, there was not much character development. Naho didn’t have much of a personality, but the other characters balanced that out and it made for an enjoyable read. The other three friends just were not memorable though. I remember Naho, Kakeru, and Suwa. Don’t ask me what the others names are.

I love anything that deals with mental health. This manga did an okay job with it. Kakeru’s feelings were very much realistic. How it was dealt with is where I was side-eyeing the manga.

Overall, there’s a strong plot but the characters are lacking.

Story, 9:
Orange is a shoujo manga covering a more mature topic, making it border the josei and seinen genres. It tells the story of Naho and her daily struggles to save one of her friends from committing suicide. If this wasn't enough of a deviation from the usual shoujo genre, this story also introduces the theory of parallel worlds and how one can influence one another. The twist that, in my point of view, Orange gets is what makes the story great. In fact, instead of falling in love and discovering one another as they live their daily lives, this main character already has a full deck! She knows what will happen, when it will happen and how it'll happen! Although this would seem easier to the point of going “thats hella easy!” it isn't, in fact, what would happen if she were to try to change the future? Would the letters still be useful, considering that by changing it you will drift further apart from what it says? Would she still be able to save him? Would just rescuing him in his moment of crisis be enough or will it take her everything to try to change someone who gave up is life since the beginning? When the realization hits, it hits hard and she is often left in a complete “I don't know what to do” state. In short, Orange is a story that works the other way around. Instead of discovering the future as the story develops, you already know it, but as you keep changing it, you'll walk towards something you can't control. Nicely and beautifully intertwined with the blooming of a romance, Orange will make you flutter towards and end where your only wish is that the guy receives a realityslap.

Art, 8:
Really good! Very individualized facial and body constructions. One thing that is easily noticeable is that the mangaka isn't bound to one model construction type. All characters have different heights, hairs, and faces, making several little variations like the eyes or even the chins. This not to speak of the backgrounds, which the mangaka manages to reinterpret to an incredible degree of real places! She later gives photographic evidence allowing the reader to immerse immensely deeper in the characters hometown if one is willing to. That being said, I don't see any particular flaws, instead its the overall that isn't perfect, leaving me wishing that if she improved the art a bit it would almost be godlike!

Characters, 10:
Considering the size of the manga and the amount of characters it receives, I think they are really well made. The mangaka works on personality models, shaping each character according to one, the sports guy, the shy and kind girl, the loud cheerful girl and others. All of them have a foundation in which she works to make a joyful group of high school students. Furthermore, they are also highly individualized in appearance, making it impossible for the reader to mistake them up. However its the psychological warfare of Kakeru that shines the most here, to the point you don't know when he is truly smiling or just faking it. Being in deep emotional conflict he is hard to predict and a single action can have immense repercussions on him. This, in turn, doesn't make things easier for the main character, who is mostly a reserved person and is already torn between letting things go its natural course or changing the future, all the while hoping it doesn't turn for the worst.

Enjoyment, 10:
Well, it was really easy to read! With a well paced story, Orange presents itself as a very good combination of light humor, romance and slight touch of josei that will make you anxious every time the main character must make a decision. All the while showing the psychological struggles the characters make to overcome their flaws.

Overall, 10:
A really entertaining manga, making you laugh and cry by seemingly simple actions. With very good art and a compelling protagonist and deuteragonist it won't be easy to stop the curiosity from making you read the next chapter!

I've always been intrigued by manga, yet never into comics, both western or Japanese. I got a hold of this as a celebrity I was following on Twitter had mentioned he was reading it, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I couldn't put it down. Any chance I got (commuting on the train, before going to bed, right on waking up), I stole a chance to read it.

From start to finish, I felt immersed in their world, and grew a familiarity with each character, even the supporting cast. Perhaps it's better to say it was an ensemble cast, as the story progressed with the help of each friend in the story, and this is testament to the power of friendship, one that is optimistic in the face of much darkness.

A very uplifting story. I am glad I was introduced to the world of manga with this series.

The overall story concept is really heart-touching and warming it was more of a emotion love related story then an general rom-com story you find.

While reading the summary of the manga you can get the idea was the story could be and it’s really worth reading.

There are two thing which I specifically don’t like (might contain slight spoilers)

Even though there is a tag of science fiction but still the concept used in this manga to send laters to the past selves is concept not related to the story, it doesn’t feel like it somehow.

I know there is no other way to send the letter in the past until there is some kind of time-machine is there and then it does end up in science fiction category so that can’t be helped.

Secondly and most important one that in the end there is no story after their love confession (again I will not share much detail, so you’re safe).

I liked Orange for providing a much-needed glimpse into a taboo topic. Unfortunately its a good message wrapped in a lackluster cover.

I truly feel like the manga had a lot of potential but killed it off to deliver a very simple story of regret, friendship and love. It had an incredible premise - time-travelling letters! - but fails to do anything with the concept. The whole of the story reads like this: Kakeru is hung up over an incident and constantly pushes people away, while his friends try again and again to reach him. Rinse and repeat. The conflict - saving Kakeru - is introduced as early as Chapter 1, and while this isn't a bad thing, this conflict never changes and everything plays out as predicted. Some may say the journey is more important than the destination, but I disagree -- the journey was a massive buildup to a ending that meant nothing.

Characters seem to have depth but lack development. For example, I think the mangaka tried really hard to flesh Naho out, and it worked - at least for the start. Seeing her break free of her shell and take the leap was gratifying and inspiring, because she was so relatable for many of us, yet any character development petered off the moment the mangaka decided to turn this into a shoujo manga. There is a time for teenage love drama and there is a time for emotional storytelling. Orange took the high school crush route. It created unnecessary drama in this case, mainly a one-sided love and a petty love rival.

I would like to emphasise Orange is a short manga consisting of 22 chapters. It needs to be quick and clean, considering that it never goes beyond what's advertised on the synopsis. At times I feel Orange is a overly complicated drama that could be simplified (the movie adaptation should be good). It's at the sweet spot of being not too short to be read in one setting, but not long enough to get to know the characters. If I treat it as a short story I can excuse the less stellar plot and characters, but I have invested my time into it and have received this crap payoff. I do recommend you read it though, because its not bad, just that it could be better.

P.S. Spoilers ahead. This manga covers suicide and regrets, reminding that simply being here for someone can ignite their will to live. At the end of the manga, the mangaka reminds us to look out for people like Kakeru and reach out to them. After reading this manga, I'm sure I'll do so.

Orange was amazing. Having me to read this at the start, I would say.."Meh...what a typical high school plot," but it turned out to be an amazing story. The empowering friendship, trust, and love, all in one, in order to save what they loved the most, made me shed into tears. This manga taught me many things, especially friendships, and it really had impacted me. The art in the manga, is cute and nice. I literally read this manga in less than a day, due to how good it was.

Overall, I love this manga. ♥ Orange would be considered as one of the top 10, in my opinion.

This is my first manga that pushed me to the corner, and just cry until I fall asleep. I really like how Takano Ichigo made me feel this tight-feelings in my chest when I read it. So much.

What I like about this manga:

1. The characters. (You will find Suwa is the best after read all the chapters)-oooh scratch that, I cant even write a review without spilling some!-They're well build, eventhough there's one character that has to 'sacrifice' his future, I call it selfless though. I couldn't think it's right to made 'just one character suffering'. I mean, a lifetime regret. But that's why I love it. That certain character-it's obvious, idiot-made this manga perfect!

2. How bitter-sweet the story is. I can't spoiler eventho I wanted to.

3. The after-story predictions. Well, I need to write my after-story predictions of this manga on my website, so I can ranting and blubbering all I want. I love to makes some made-up thought, It's always makes me feel better.

That's all, art is cool too, sweet. But that's not my priority.

Actually, I don't want to read Orange until the anime adaptation finished airing. That's my plan. But well, my curiosity take over my brain, so I ended up finishing the manga the same day the anime's PV came out. And then I fell so depressed, in tears for several days just thinking about my Suwa. He's my hubby. I loved him, ohh come here baby, I want to cherish you eep sorry!!

Well, I give this 9 overall, worth reading, and for me (who loves Hurt/Comfort genre) this manga definitely be my highly recommended!
Make sure have a nice seat, and tissue! God, you can't read this without tissues! ^o^/

ORANGE starts off incredibly shallow. The characters are not much more than a single personality trait. I could only remember Naho, Suwa, and Kakeru’s names for the first half. The writing is a equally terrible. While dialogue is supposed to move a narrative along, Orange's dialogue does this too literally. Everything is spelled out for the reader, and everything that happens to the cast seems like a contrived convenience. Couple this with generic high school manga situations, and I was left bored and disappointed with Orange. I would have dropped it earlier on if I hadn’t purchased the complete series at once. I’m glad I finished it, because it does get better. Perhaps Ichigo Takano just needed the hiatus she went on.

During the first half, I was asking myself a bunch of questions about the logistics behind character motives. Why would five teenagers devote their entire existence to helping some new kid they barely know? Why would Suwa just give up the girl of his dreams to the new kid who doesn’t even come to school half the time? These questions are answered in the second half of the series, and a lot of my problems with the series were resolved. Unfortunately, it ends just as it gets good. I thought I had a whole extra volume in my omnibus before I ran smack into a two-shot Seven Seas added to the book (without mentioning it anywhere!). I would have loved to have seen Orange continue on. The ideas of regret, depression, and suicide are important topics to be discussed, and Takano gives some decent insight.

Although Orange grew on me, I can not give it too positive of a review. The first half of it is unbearable, and the second half average. It’s a good idea, but I don’t care for the execution. I hope Ichigo Takano learned a lot from this series, and creates something really good in the future.

If you could erase your regrets in another world, would you?
I was in search for a perfect manga to oass time with so I set up some filters when manga browsing: romance, drama, school life, slife of life, tradegy; make them completed. As I browsed, I stumbled upon this manga. Just by looking at the melacholic cover design, I knew I had hit jackpot. So I waited a but to read this, so I could prepare myself. I was right to do so.
Orange met all my expectations and quickly became one of the greatest manga I've read. Everything was well designed and phenomonal. The story is "anime and live action adaption" worthy; read the plot for the details. The charatcers are also really well developed throughout the story. Naho, is a timid girl who is always worry about others. She is indecisive and a huge pushover, cries over everything, lets opportunities past and regrets later. Cute but annoying as a character, the type I detest. However, with help from the letters, she starts to develop a backbone. She still is quiet and over concerned but she learns to speak up, you go girl! As the story revolves around Takeko, he of course develops a lot, thats for you who is reading this review to see for yourself.
The art is the clean, simple design of a modern manga, since this is a relatively new manga. Pretty backgrounds.
As can tell, I enjoyed this a lot, would I recommend, of course. Remember, anime and live action adaption worthy!

Major Spoilers in the review ahead, please read on at your own risk

So let's start. This has easily been one of the most frustrating and irritating manga I have ever read. Simply because of the inability of the MC to take any action or deal with it other than relying on other people's help or crying. She knows that Kakeru is going to die, and she also knows that he likes and confesses to her but she still doesn't ask him out because she is just mentally challenged even after the whole suicide situation they don't start dating like what's up with that. Why do other characters have to prod you to date? The MC knows that 2 guys like her but she chooses to ignore it. She knows that Kakeru will commit suicide still she does things that make him unhappy like who idiotic can you get. Gahhhhhh this manga is the worst. I have never been angrier at a character before than this woman. Makes me want to go inside the manga and shake some sense into her. She knows that the letter is the real deal but still doesn't obey what's written inside the letter and invite the suicidal boy out while it's not that a big of a deal when things do turn out fine in the end, this thing irritates me because she keeps thinking about this because it is a big deal for Kakeru because his mother dies. There is a chapter at the end which just deals with Kakeru's side of things, if it had been the whole story I would have been happy because it's written so beautifully, the 2 that I am going to give to this series will for that chapter and nothing else. This manga has been a waste of time and I don't see why people like it so much because it's just so badly written like they send the letters 10 years before to a parallel universe, how? Just by sending their letters along the sea and on the Bermuda triangle hoping it will reach their past self. That's just lazy and idiotic writing. The art style resembles the shojo art style but isn't that revolting. It's just fine and get's the job done. I will never ever read this stupid manga ever again. It's idiotic character's who just couldn't do anything made my blood boil. I just hate this manga and rest assured I will never read this again.

Orange an story about love, loss, depression, self acceptance, time travel, and not to forget plot-holes. Now bear with me don’t get scarred and burn me at the stake yet when you see and 8/10
I will explain it all.

Story - 9
The story starts off with the introduction of one of our main character Takamiya Naho. A Sixteen year old girl who gets a letter in the mail form herself ten years into the future. She is first skeptic about the letter but when it predicts that an new boy named Naruse Kakeru would join her class and accurately describes the rest of her day she takes the letter serious and starts the follow its instructions. In the letter is stated that she must do everything in her power to make the new kid happy en watch over him what ever the costs are.

The story is very fresh and extremely addictive and gives a good twisted to the basic shoujo school stetting with the its time-travel theme but this is also where one of its biggest flaws lies.
Time travel in any story is difficult because it brings a lot of complicated stuff to the table, they try to clear it up by nonchalantly trying to explain string theorie and time travel paradoxes but can never really convince the reader with its way to easy explanation.
And what also usually comes with time travel are what? PLOT-HOLES.
The methode how the letters are send back in time is never really explained its just brushed to the side with a made up excuse. Also how the letters got at the exact date when kakeru first went to to his new school is also left to the readers imagination. This gives the story almost and fantasy feeling while it is meant as a slice of life/drama/romance.

The story does redeem its self with have the gift of drawing the ‘feels’ out in a great way. At its most heavy moments sand will get in your eyes if you like it or not so BE WARNED.

Art - 7

The art is okay, very to be honest mediocre. The eyes and facial proportions of some characters are somewhat off and most panels lacked a drawn background. The characters are are drawn okay but the style is that of a 'basic' manga incomparable to the art of high rated manga like Berserk or Vagabond.

Characters - 8

An 8 for characters but how can you say this? Isnt this one of the manga's strongest points?
Well yeah if its about the character development of the three main characters ( Suwa, Kakeru and Naho) it gets an 10/10 in character development no doubt!

But as for the side characters ( Hagita and Azusa ) they get neglected to almost an unbearable degree. If i would ask what you know about Hagita and Azusa you would probably say that he has glasses and is bad at sports and that she is cute and that they have great chemistry but thats it.
And don't even get me started about Takako ( i even had to look up her name because when i saw her i only thought 'yeah that tall girl' such little impact did she have on the story ) i don't even really get why she is drawn in the first place she has literally zero development she was just a spectator nothing more nothing less, which is a shame because the way she is drawn and some moments she had, had soo much potential!!

The manga also suffers from ‘Standard Personality Disorder’. This is something most shoujo's have unfortunately.
You got the Jock, The always Cute and Outgoing one, The Tough Beauty, The Loveable Douffes, The kind of Emo-Handsome kid and the Cute shy main character.

But although some characters are not that well developed and some choices they make are doubtable they all do have one thing in common and that is that they are extremely lovable. Its hard at the end of the manga not to cheer the characters on for and happy ending, this is something only a few mangaka's can really pull off which such grace and kind of makes up for the lack of character development of some characters.

Enjoyment - 9

Even though i did got annoyed by the lazy drawing, plot-holes and somethimes predictable character behavior ( this being a shoujo ) it didnt have any influence what so ever on my enjoyment what in it self is a very big accomplishment. The characters are loveble and seem very realistic. The manga is very addictive and i dont recommend reading this before sleeping or during an exam week because after just 1 chapter you cant stop reading.

Overal - 8

It may be a very unpopular believe but the manga has got to many flaws that are just regarded by most readers because of the 'Feels'. This is the reason, at least i think so, why it is so damn high on MAL ranking. But even if this may be so i would recommend this to almost everyone just so you can say you have read it, even if you don't like reading shoujo’s.