My favorite manga, not only because the author has the same name as mine, or because her drawings are perfectly detailed and consistent with the story (she passes the feelings that the characters are feeling through the art, background and expressions of each one ), or also for the incredible realism applied to the novel (difficult to find a manga like that) ... But it is incredible for showing such a beautiful relationship, full of confused and contrary feelings (Kaoru is learning to love, Sensei, is trying (trying really) heal his wounds) ... I think Age Gap gave the romance a delicious maturity, and Okazaki produces delicate moments, full of affection, repulsion, humor and well-being aligned with Kaoru's youth and the experience of Yagai .. .
A funny thing, did anyone notice that on the covers of each volume, the scar on Yagai's hand never appears? Obviously it is his hand stroking Kaoru's face, but the fact that the scar does not appear gives an ambiguous feeling, as if it could be someone else's hand ... Is this a possible spoiler? Please read the manga to understand.
Just like this, there are many details in the drawings that explain much of the story, which makes the manga always richer.
I would like to share this masterpiece with all lovers of the josei genre. Delicacy until to the last page, the bittersweet feeling that sticks in your heart translates a lot about the feelings of adult life, the meaning of first love, the differences between people ... Brilliant.

And Samura Hiroaki is a NTR/rape fetishist.
Just skip the last chapter if you read the raws. I'm pretty sure the group dropped it because of how unbelievably unfruitful the ending is.

I just read chapter 17 (thank God I randomly picked this series after this chapter was released or else I would probably have been agonising over the end of volume 3), and the subject is for Shiro. Poor guy... He was crying for God's sake!

But I've been enjoying the title thoroughly from the start. It's great that the art is very well taken care of. However, the story-telling is top-notch here for me. So much the feel! Please let the 8 volumes be scanlated without a hitch! And soon! Please, please! *A person with bad experience of reading good "completed" mangas over LONGASS periods of time.*

[EDIT] 2018:

My problem with this manga is the sex and the sensuality are pretty cliche and conservative. Or maybe I've been a bit more liberal and have been bought-in to the media/political-correctedness of sexual consent that at the moment when the female lead said she didn't think she'd be able to go through with their intercourse, then repeated with a don't, in other word she was saying "no" twice. Yet, the male lead, a doctor no less (maybe I am judging him here), thought she was on a whim and that they were of age to not acting like youngsters (teenagers to be exact). Who is he to judge her while he discovered it was her first time just moments ago? And dude, you're in science, aren't you supposed to know how our brains confirm/affirm things with spoken words not gestures/expressions? Why were you in denial? (Or is this brain confirmation with spoken words just got discovered recently? Not sure, but if you read this, it is scientifically proven.)

I am not sure if this is the stereotype/submissive culture of Japan that got played out OR it was to the readers' preference OR it's just the author's fantasy OR many other reasons I don't know. But I hope the next series similar to this (if there'd be) from the same author would be more progressive for both the women and the men. (Because I really like the developments of characters and stories up so far.) In real life, if that female lead'd sue the male lead now, I wouldn't be surprised.

But after reading chapter 17 again, man, it leaves me serious distastes that I just don't want to follow up with the rest of the series anymore.

Of course, I stand by my opinion. If you like the way things played out in this series, you should be entitled to your opinions too.

... Last updated on July 2nd, 2018, 2:01am

This has some spoilers for the ending.

This is definitely a really beautiful series to read. Okazaki Mari's art is absolutely breathtaking. About the story, it plays out like a normal love triangle shoujo but with the added positives of being mature and realistic in its approach. At some points it is drawn pretty elaborate, but it doesn't romanticize the love at all. They go through trials and finally come to terms of being in love (well mostly Yagai)



Great story with beautiful artwork, definitely a must-read for shoujo and josei fans.

Stiletto Heels translates decent to very good josei mangas and this is another win for the community. Thx for that.
The art is very well done, the characterization is strong and there are some neat art direction tricks that contrast between the views of the leads on certain situations. The important players all have developed backstories that give context for the current state of their lives and why they are as awkward or solitude. Most importantly is that the protagonists have a clear characterization and direction that the writer sticks too. The biggest plus though is that actions have consequences and that characters actually talk about what their though bubbles say and thus forced drama that a conversation could sweep away is avoided.
The only downside are a few coincidences too many here and there and the programming side of the story isn´t as well developed as the medical side. And could the doctors look more fabulous and trendy?
Even Medical Dragon´s (very good too) swimsuit models look a bit more reasonable. So nothing really negative.
I am looking forward to more and my score could even improve a bit if the finished story continues to stays strong. Oishii Kankei and Kuragehime are similar in quality and both suffer of small side problems too. Sekine-kun no Koi is even better.

... Last updated on March 26th, 2015, 8:03am

This is actually my favorite manga I think for reasons that others wouldn't be able to connect with but everyone that's a fan of shoujo or josei need to try this manga. The story is unique and a much needed palate cleanser from other mangas in these genres and the art is superb. I think it's beautiful and very well crafted story. It's also easy to root for the heroine and releases come out enough after each other so you don't wait too long. I also suggest reading other manga from this translation group, Stiletto Heels.
A real work of art for josei manga. My personal favorite.

Good josei, I expect it would be better as the story goes. If you search for josei close to reality, then try this one. I have to say that the main male character was the source of those pain, age gap also a big issue for him. Maybe some reader would think that the female chara was too stupid or what, but i think in reality, that's how most women do. When they in love, they can't do anything about their feeling.

Too many characters, too soon. Its alarming for me not to know who the players are (in terms of romance) within the first couple of chapters. Its the kind of story where you need to love reality, or really gruesome things. This was really depressing for me, thats what i mean by gruesome.

Not in essence, but much more in frame, I disagree with the earlier comment. For you to say some title is great in few early chapters, some surprise are required. Considering this one is published for josei demography, not shoujo, I don't see any surprise being played in these three chapters. Sure the tension is escalating, but still, 'normal' is the best word to describe the setting and background.

The most I can say is, this manga develop well, giving clues that important conflict or interesting development going to take place. But not just yet. Not in this three chapters.

This! This story is the epitome of amazing shoujo manga. No really! This is really well done. The story seems predictable, cliché-ed love triangle and such, but NO! this story, even though the plot line seems already used to the bone, has a charm never seen in any shoujo. All because of one character. Not gonna spoil the fun since only one chapter has been translated, but I've read the story in french, and I promise you, it's just breath taking.