I just finished reading Haru wo Daite Ita.... and I can't figure out how I've managed to go so long without ever having read it. I've seen the name a lot and yet somehow I never actually read it. Right now I'm kicking myself for that fact.
I loved it. I truly did. And honestly speaking, going into it I had very low expectations. I figured it would be another BL story that mimicked every other BL story ever written. But I was very pleasantly surprised. What caught me about this series was that everything MADE SENSE.
For once, the drama is actually pretty realistic. The characters don't run around misunderstanding everything and then make dramatic moves based on that-- for the most part, these characters ACTUALLY TALK TO EACH OTHER. Amazing, right? And the times they don't and things get more complicated, they acknowledge it later and oftentimes even apologize.
There were a lot of other things I loved about it -- when they say "I love you" I actually believe it, they act accordingly to their backgrounds (like not being shy about sex which makes sense since they were AV), and so on. They're also ridiculously in love and it's really refreshing to read a story that builds on people learning and growing together without force having to be involved from the start.
There are still bumps along the road but that's the way it normally would be with any relationship. What was wonderful to me is that I could really feel the love... and that the love itself grew. It started out feeling almost startling or sudden, and then over the volumes it shifted -- at times desperate, selfish, confused, afraid-- but most of the time it was one of them helping the other to grow and supporting him, and then when the supporter falls short his partner is there for him as well.
There is very little rape in here and the times it occurs it is NOT glorified. In fact, the characters are suitably disgusted or angry at first. Forgiveness comes perhaps more quickly from some than others, but it mostly makes sense to me for the individual characters.
What surprised me the most is that there really isn't THAT much going on in the series-- it's a lot of following them around on their daily lives, watching the rise of stardom, and the development of a relationship through the stages of love-- and yet I was completely engrossed. I didn't want to stop reading.
When I saw it was 14 volumes I figured I'd get bored quickly, particularly since the theme of actors isn't that much of interest to me. And yet I kept reading and when I got to the end I was really sad to realize I didn't have more to go. Despite this series basically just following these guys on their daily lives, it felt so intriguing to me that I didn't grow bored. Despite not caring that much about actor themes, I found myself looking forward to reading characters in different roles-- and even wished at one point that one of the movies was real so I could watch it, haha.
I could also go on and on about the art but I won't. I thought it was really well done, and interesting. There was great usage of different angles, and at times panels were zoomed in super close as if we were watching a movie. I also loved little details-- like the tight lines of a shirt on Katou's body beneath a loose and open jacket. The lines of a wide belt wrapped around a character's hips. It made it feel more realistic, somehow.
The first time I wrote a review it was super long so I cut it down to this, which is still long but not as much. Suffice it to say, I found myself having a lot to say about a series I honestly expected to not be that interesting. I was wrong and I'll admit it. I am impressed with this and right now my only regret is I don't have more to read.