As someone who has no problems reading manga like Akumetsu, I'm not in the typical shoujo reading demographic. And many shoujo manga are full of stereotypes, unrealistic relationships, etc.

Kingyo Sou is different.

It has amazing, appropriate art that conveys plenty of emotion. It handles a delicate topic (deafness) with care and detail. The love confession is in the first ten pages of the manga, so the main protagonists' relationship is never in any real doubt. Instead, the whole two volumes are about the intrinsic difficulties in a relationship with a hearing-impaired person, plus typical youthful awkwardness, worries and the like. The romance seemed realistic. Oh, and, importantly, the manga definitely ends satisfyingly.

In summary: Perfect. I rarely give 10s, but this manga definitely deserves one.

One of the best mangas i got to read, with consistent character and an amzing storyline. I'm really glad i read it. I nearly cried, and that's more than i can say for any of the previous mangas i read. I recommend it to just anyone who likes a really good romance.

Of course, the deafness part of this series is what piqued my interest in reading this in the first place. That's definitely not the only thing going for this manga though. I was impressed by how neatly put together the storyline was. Even though it was only two volumes, the mangaka did a beautiful job in giving their relationship time to blossom and their love to strengthen. In the beginning, the fact that Asuka-san liked Masami-san right away seemed typical, but I understand that it happens to us all; she also worked hard to deepen her relationship with Masami-san and vise versa, and that's what made this story relatable, believable, and likeable.
In addition, the art really suits this manga. It's not "perfect", but the drawings portrayed emotions wonderfully. It's hard to explain when the art just "looks" right and tells a story skillfully, but the mangaka used the art, the storyline, and the words to bring a sweet tale of love to us. I cried, I smiled, I reflected on my own relationship, and this manga ultimately benefited me. I'm glad I took the time to read this. =]

... Last updated on April 2nd, 2011, 12:39am

It is one of the best stories I have ever read in a manga. I was going through a rollercoaster of emotions when I read it. It made me cry and smile at the same time. I got lost in their world, i felt their pain, struggle and suffering but inspite of all that I felt that their love for each other can conquer everything. The story is heart warming and I definitely recommend it to someone who is looking for something good to read. Warning: you might want few tissues close by, just in case

This manga really stands out from the rest. I guess it's because it involves the world of deaf people but nevertheless, it was so unique and amazing. The romance was so deep and you can really see how much Love can change your world. The art gets a little better later on so don't worry about that. I'm really glad i read this manga because it's definitely something i'd read again in the future and it was worth every second of my time. Refreshing and just.. truly amazing.

... Last updated on December 7th, 2010, 5:50pm

no senseless melodrama
cute heroine
caring hero with genuine feelings
snappy side characters
no love triangles

all the components for a niiiiiiice cute read

This story is so unique, seriously, I’m sure you can go through hundreds maybe even thousands of manga and not find a plot anywhere near this one. Its unique plot is one thing that made this refreshing manga just so great!

Plot- The plot focuses around the relationship between Asuka and deaf Masami. Masami being deaf adds a new dimension to the regular romantic relationship. It adds whole new obstacles and circumstances that add to the stories originality, and though some of the things that happen in the manga are cliché the twist they get because of Masami being deaf make them completely unique and wonderful to read.

Characters- The characters are nice and… well they are nicely realistic. You can understand the struggles the characters go through, the doubt, the fears, everything. The two mains very nicely balance each other out and the secondary characters are really supportive and each very individual making a nice cast all around.

Art- Was the regular shoujo artwork, nothing overly special but in no way bad either. It was very fitting for the manga.

Other- I really enjoyed this manga; there was just something so great about it that’s a bit hard to pin down much less relate in a review. Give this manga a try, I really recommend this manga; it was a very nice cute and warm read!

8/10 – Was Good

I love when stories include those that are disabled. It's a wonderful way to communicate to others the difficulties that some ppl have to face on a day to day basis. I'm intrigued by the way the author describes the gap between those that can hear and those that can't. The effectiveness has been lost over the last few chapters I think. I hope that it has a good conclusion.

... Last updated on November 18th, 2010, 6:11am

It's not often that you find a Shoujo that's just refreshingly different from all the rest. Throughout two short volumes, Kingyo Sou weaves a beautiful story about a romance between a high-school girl and a boy who cannot hear, and all thr troubles they go through along the way. The art is gorgeous and unique, and the story is both interesting and emotionally moving. I have to admit it... I cried.

It is by no means a sad story, though. I own the second volume in the original Japanese, and the author wrapped things up rather nicely. This is definitely worth a read for those who are looking for a manga that deals convincingly with different issues, and for those who are just looking for a good read.

It's adorable and touching. I'd recommend it to anyone.

The mangaka really did her homework. She didn't go for stereotypes, patronising and "pity the poor deaf child" angles. She portrays Masami as an ordinary uni student with a plate of problems, just like Asuka as a high school girl with a plate of problems of her own.

Yes, the story revolves too heavily around Masami's deafness as I'd like to see an exploration of their love relationship a little more, but comparing with other manga with deaf characters, Kingyo Sou has the best portrayal of a deaf character in years. It's excellent for anyone who's curious about what it's like to be in a relationship with a deaf person, this is the one.