I started reading KUJIRA today and have been enjoying her works. This is definitely a shoujo, but it also gives off a josei vibe: mature, thoughtful with reflective growth.
If I was to compare this with her (I assume) other work Honnou Switch I'd say this one is a little more dramatic and tingling (I'm not sure if "sensational" is too much to describe, so I refrain from using it). And it's fitting in a high school setting: because we want to feel blossoming youth romance.
Still, rest assure it's plenty of maturity and thoughtfulness with resolutions despite certain challenges and bottlenecks - which shows how much the characters strive to move and grow from their personal traumas or mistakes: A girl who posed as her dead brother so her mother would look her way; a boy grew his hair long to please his lonely-hearted mother; and a third wheel who was a little dense, childish yet glued them all together. Somehow, they all grew marvelously in just 2 volumes 🙂
I can only think of Bambi to Dhole that gives off similar sparks to this manga.
The happy ending is tight and well-made. I might be a little greedy here, but I would be sure to appreciate after-chapters. I want to see how the main couple work things out, or not; Or how the third wheel (yet so grown and understanding towards the end) has been doing ever since.
Nevertheless, this was a blissful read for me. Highly recommend it!
Thank you for scantating this! Thank you author-san!