This isn't some overarching romance where the two are madly in love and overcome odds. This is a very real (IMO) sense of two individuals on very different paths who cross over for a moment where the magnetic and charismatic personality of one of the individuals draws in the other.

Nanao is extremely talented and determined. He's got a goal and is determined to get there, which can at times make him a bit childish and even verging on cruel. Youichi is meek (as others have said); however, he recognizing the damaging nature of their relationship and deals with it in a braver way than many of the meek bottoms do in other yaoi, so I appreciated that.

How do I even deal with this? It has left me completely shattered. It’s truly powerful. It’s Torino sensei’s 11th book but her first BL, and in her own words, a romantic couple as well without she didn’t quite know what to do. The fabulous artwork just adds to the masterpiece that it already is. The actions of the characters take into account their age and social position as do the dialogues as well. Furthermore, there is a straight male ally, a powerful character for me, who gives the right advise even if it’s unwanted and hurtful.
One comment that I will make is in regard to the rash actions that both the main characters take and the time they spend apart from each other; this was done with such restraint and care that I almost chocked on my tears. You see, Torino-sensei was able to depict the truth of, I would argue, most queer relationships in general: you don’t always chose the things you do because you want to, but rather because you have been told, “we all have desires and feelings, but that doesn’t mean we should act on them” as way of closing off a happy future. A queer future.
Definitely looking forward to more yaoi works in the future. And, I ardently hope that there are because we need them.

I prefer this authors other work, "Ohana Holoholo" over this manga. Mainly because Ohana was refreshingly different from other LGBT dramas as it focused more on the relationships OTHER THAN the main romantic pair.
In Asterisk, its the same tired old trope- one guy is the playboy with a devil-may-care attitude and the other is the meek, obedient little puppy obeying everything the playboy demands. A few chapters showing the meek guys unrequited or painful love for the playboy, one moment of actually manning up and leaving a pathetic relation, then the playboy suddenly comes to his senses- anti-climatic groveling (more like the "I've come to my senses, I am no longer the idiot who can trample over your feelings) and soon they make up.....
Meh!

... Last updated on July 27th, 2018, 5:11am

I get the idea behind this story but its execution leaves a lot to be desired imo. In the end neither main characters truly won the audience over, which is fine with me if there's a proper reason for this, but that's not the case here and I just feel indifferent towards everything even with all the drama and heartbreaks and so on. Similarly, the art is very expressive but can be a bit wonky and sloppy at times. This manga just hasn't reached its full potential I think.