If you're looking for a really good manga to read, this has everything for you: great and consistent arts; thoughtful, forward and progressive characters (all of them); a story of friendship and love; a story of self-discovery, -acceptance and -understanding.

The most impressive of all in this manga for me is the communication and thoughtfulness of the characters. I'm a grown adult yet I'm always surprised to see how the characters' thoughts and feelings are all communicated so clearly. Of course, there will be times where they hesitate, they bottleneck, or they refuse to see something new. They all come to accept and understand that: It is OKAY to take time, to be at your own pace, come to your own terms, make your decisions, reflect and continue to go on, go forth, to whichever path and direction no matter the conflicts, confusions or considerations one might have.

Life is a long journey for you, yourself to continuously learn about yourself: to adapt maybe for the better, or to change to how you see fit.

It's great the dialogue too. I still get goosebumps remembering Touma's friends arguing over their stances for him while Ichinose just sits there listening; or how Futaba and Touma have a heart-to-heart conversation about how they feel about the other, about Ichinose, and how they might choose to move forward with themselves and others; or how Masumi describing feelings and words and how we can choose to be non-conformed and it's okay...

I repeat: I'm an adult and I still learn so much from these high school characters!

And with that, the story concludes.

If you're looking for a more traditional, more well-defined/accepted romantic story. This is not it. It's about "self". No matter how vague or ambiguous it or one might be - and we might never know what happen to Ichinose, Touma and Futaba in those two years and five years after high school - be kind and be happy for the decisions they make and will continue to make in the future.

100% agree with @SangMo guy or however you mention someone on here...

... Last updated on April 9th, 2020, 1:20pm

Frankly, the ending absolutely ruins the manga. It's like the author tried to appease some people, but it makes absolutely no sense. I am disappointed. A 1 might seem harsh, but that's how much the ending sucks.



What an absolute shitshow.

... Last updated on April 9th, 2020, 7:12am

Dropped after the first 2 volumes because it really felt like baiting and then copping out. Sorry for doubting. This is the real deal after all, and it gives me a bit of hope.

2021 edit: coming back after a year, again, and read the rest. I thought it was fumbling towards the end and it shows. The last chapters felt like the author was rushed by the editor or the publisher so the story had to end ASAP, unfortunately. That said, as a queer person who has the almost exact same story as the protagonist here (minus the happy ending), the emotions and character development were spot-on. This manga resonated with me on a level that probably nothing else can ever touch. I have to wonder if the author was queer themself or had to listen to their queer friends' stories to write this, because it's just real.

Taichi was definitely gay, he just didn't realize or accept it until after the time skip, his love with Futaba was only puppy love. Sorry for those unfamiliar with this kind of real life gay story but this ending could be seen from the first volume. Taichi and Touma were both gay and would end up together, I just wondered how the author would develop them or wrap up the story, but the ending was totally predictable, and I really respect the author for doing it.

Fyi the manga is published by Shogakukan, the same one that publishes Doraemon, how cool is that! This definitely gives me hope for the future of our community in Japan.

Oh and the author Kaito is really a guy, that explains why this story and especially the male characters are so real.

... Last updated on September 24th, 2021, 11:14am

Unexpected good. Dramatic, yet true to the emotional pangs inevitably present in high school. Each of the four main characters is sympathizeable and multidimensional, and the plot, although overdone by so many other mangas, is well executed this time around,

... Last updated on November 24th, 2017, 4:19pm

Well, I said the next H2 because the feel we have here and the love polygon where the characters are conflicted between each other's love and their friendship. I am feeling a modern H2 here. Thus, I am excited! I will be sure to follow this. You ought too, if you also liked H2 manga by Adachi Mitsuru and his works then this will also be for you. Modern category with our modern issue are included in this pure love story. So much to look forward to since the mangaka is also strongly motivated with his/her work. SO that's it! Let us go read this!

... Last updated on October 25th, 2017, 6:40am

Unlike most high school dramas, the story starts at the beginning of a time period where the characters are forced to think long and hard about their relationships with the people they know and their futures. The presence of the ever-drawing-close end of an era (deciding what to do after graduation) actually affects how they act.
Personal struggles are not petty and relate to real issues regarding character, personality, and ideals. No one is malicious and conflict is primarily caused by feelings of self doubt and guilt.

I have good hope for the future of this series and I look forward to seeing how the characters will develop.

... Last updated on September 25th, 2017, 12:22pm