This is one of the most touching mangas I have ever read. The mangaka really has a way of portraying the emotions accurately - from the confusion when the main character, Takuma, was younger to the determination and hope when he grows up. If you are expecting a light read, this is not the manga for you. You're gonna have to take it slow with this to really grasp all the emotions and feelings the mangaka so wonderfully portrayed. Honestly, I think this would suit an older audience 16+, but if you find you enjoy it, then that's awesome.

There are mixed reviews for the ending, but I believe the mangaka ended it splendidly. It did not feel "rushed" to me because the rhythm of the narration went smoothly with each frame. It made me really want to know what exactly happened with Takuma and Mayu but in such a way that I felt that whether he died or not, everything would be okay.

To be honest I usually avoid from Mangas like this because usually they ended having a ridiculous plot full of cliches and plane characters but in this case I'm really glad I gave this one a try n__n. Great story, realistic, emotional and really funny at a times. My only complain was that the end felt rush and ambiguos, I will love a sequel *0*. In my opinion one of the best shoujo mangas ever.

I love it, and like everybody who read it, i cried, like a baby xD and i love, i love, i love it xD the letter and like... all the chapster made me cry. I thought like everytime that if i was mayu what thinks I would do and my tears where even worse. Ahh the story and everythig. Kousama kills me D:

Okay, I'm not crying nor are my tear glands are connected to the ocean,but... I loved it!!!! I've always loved a good tragedy, but I didn't quite want anything tragic to happen. That's how much the author involved me in the story. The ending was unclear so that gave me the freedom to create my own.


... Last updated on August 14th, 2012, 7:06pm

i've already read it twice. and for the third i read it just the chapter behind. but....i'm still crying:')) ughh so many tears i can't hold back... really wish for all happiness after reading it
be sure you found your happines with the person you love too

I cried throughout the whole thing, I have read so many other tragic manga but this one is the sadist one of them all. In the end my eyes were all puffy and I was all red :')
The romance in it is so bitter-sweet, the art is unique and detailed and the plot is AWESOME
I highly recommend this :')

This is one of the best ones in my personal opinion. I've read heaps of series but most seem to lack depth. I enjoyed this series more than most mainstream stuff because at the very least, it managed to make me believe in their love for each other. Admittedly there are times when they are selfish, rash, or make you want to shake them, but at the same time, if they didn’t act like that out of desperation for Takuma’s life, it wouldn’t make sense in context with their situation. I can’t say I absolutely love either of them, but I certainly don’t dislike them either. They are flawed and human, and perhaps it drives readers up the wall once in a while but I believe it’s mostly due to their circumstances. I’m just satisfied that they’re not the shallow, brainless types I usually see because in this particular manga, I care more about the overall storytelling than the characters themselves. I just really love the way the mangaka leads us through the story with Takuma’s monologues and the smart use of paneling. The tone is very down-to-earth and full of heartfelt feelings without coming across as cheesy. I’ve dropped series upon series that tried to be emotional but just made me cringe from the cheesiness. Obviously this is a sad story, so there are parts that may be heart wrenching, but also parts that are bittersweet or comical. The key is that it is well balanced. The balance is something most artists fail to grasp, but I think Aoki-sensei did an excellent job until the end. On another note, I am personally not a medical student so I don’t know how realistic the technicalities are, but I’m just reviewing about the story of Takuma and Mayu trying to fight fate. I think it was refreshing and well-developed. Honestly, you don’t have to read much (just one chapter will be enough) to see if you like it or not because they are each pretty representative of the series as a whole. I say definitely try it out if you’re not too prone to tears.

This series almost broke my heart. Like shattered it into itty bitty pieces. I love everything about the manga. The story and the characters; the way it showed their growth and development. It's sad, but it was also heartwarming. Definitely tugged on the heartstrings.
My feelings for Takuma was definitely mixed. I understood why he did and said what he said, but at the same time I think that he would've done a better job if he was honest with himself and with Mayu. It would've certainly made their relationship with each other less painful. I still love the two of them however =]

... Last updated on November 23rd, 2011, 10:31am

all i could think was, the main male character is a flipping moron, he wasted so many years that he could have had fun happy memories with the girl he likes, with excuses and stupidity. his measures to protect her only made her more miserable. even if he believed he was dying he should use his time to make the girl he likes happy. he is a moron, and so is the girl for chasing after a man that treats her like crap, and dates another woman to make her hate him.