Natsu no Zenjitsu

Description

Tetsuo Aoki is a 4th year oil painter at a fine arts school. While working in an art supplies store, he meets an older woman named Akira Aizawa, who is the manager of an art gallery. Akira becomes interested in Tetsuo and she begins to pursue him when she catches him painting on the riverside. After such, their relationship begins to develop romantically. Will it develop smoothly? Or will there be unforeseen events?

Type

Manga

Related Series

Mizu to Gin (Sequel)

Associated Names

The Day Before Summer

夏の前日

夏日前夕

Groups Scanlating

Latest Release(s)

v.5 c.Extra 2 (end) by Maigo 10 years ago

v.5 c.Extra 1 by Maigo 10 years ago

v.5 c.35 by Maigo 10 years ago

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Status in Country of Origin

5 Volumes (Complete)

Completely Scanlated?

Yes

Anime Start/End Chapter

N/A

User Reviews

N/A

Forum

3 topics, 15 posts

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User Rating

Average: 8.3 / 10.0 (691 votes)

Bayesian Average: 8.22 / 10.0

28%

22%

25%

12%

Last Updated

March 10th, 2024 7:33am PDT - 9 months ago

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Genre

Adult Drama Romance School Life Seinen Slice of Life
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Categories

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Recommendations

Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan

Author(s)

Artist(s)

Year

Original Publisher

Kodansha

Serialized In (magazine)

good! Afternoon (Kodansha)

Licensed (in English)

English Publisher

N/A

Activity Stats (vs. other series)

Weekly Pos #708

(-8)

Monthly Pos #1051

(-515)

3 Month Pos #2099

(-78)

6 Month Pos #2368

(-258)

Year Pos #2662

(-14)

List Stats

On 2258 reading lists

On 1628 wish lists

On 1185 completed lists

On 111 unfinished lists

On 612 custom lists

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Forum Posts Click to view the forum

Remember to read Mizu no Iro Gin no Tsuki after this

5 years ago

which one should I read first?

8 years ago

Natsu no Zenjitsu Ends

10 years ago

User Comments [ Order by usefulness ]

my favourite romance manga even though i hated the male lead and didnt like the ending

by anjvmx
6 days ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

ive reread this over and over cos i like pain i guess. female lead is probably my favourite female lead in any manga series. she deserves the world. but the male lead? f him and his lil sunflower h0. he was actually cute at the start, i liked how awkward he was but then he just started peeing me off and gradually got worse and worse. despite how the ending left me feeling, i liked how realistic it was. as an adult im tired of unrealistic fairy tale endings. no other manga has hit the spot like this before.

... Last updated 6 days ago

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I liked the Romantic scenes a lot but

by ABeater
4 years ago

Rating: N/A

the ending made kinda pissed. The main character is pretty annoying. I don't really get why he was so obsessed with Hanami.

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Intriguing Up Until the End

by AA-A-AA
6 years ago

Rating: N/A

I'd like to start off with the high points of this manga: its art. The art in this story is rich and every panel is meticulously hand-drawn.

I've seen manga packed to the brim with computer effects, but this manga couldn't be more opposite as you can tell each stroke was through a pen or nib. It's absolutely breath-taking in that regard.

Now, my greatest problem is with the story's the ending, as is with just about everyone's else issue. It's not necessarily a bad ending in the sense you might expect, but for me, it was terribly dissatisfying.

Now, I want to clarify my feelings on this, because the ending isn't out of nowhere. On the contrary, I feel like it'd been hinted out throughout the entire series. It was obvious where feelings laid on both sides of our characters, but ultimately, I had hoped things would end differently for them. I ended up being too attached to one character while at times mildly annoyed with the main character, which was what made me further dissatisfied with the ending.

It's probably this bias that leaves me with this as my review. The main character is frustrating at times with his attitude and actions. There's a bit of patience required when it comes to reading the male lead, which I think explains in part why a lot of readers are disappointed with the ending.

Also, the love triangle that forms. Hanami never grew on me much, perhaps because I saw her through Tetsuo's eyes. I don't understand why he fell in love with her, besides her face (and maybe her sunshine personality that seems to appear almost flawless). It feels like he only sees what's on the surface and not what's she's actually like as a person. He focuses so much on her supposed perfections that made it hard for me to like her because of it. Hanami seems like a nice person, given the quality traits previously mentioned, but she appears too perfect and thus too attainable for anyone to really have as a romantic partner. Hence, why she is more suited to remaining as his muse than anything else.

I guess I just really liked Akira a lot more in comparison, considering she is on of the leading characters in the story.

However, the explicit scenes were handled in a mature context and not at all like some of the other seinen manga I've read. It's not overly gratuitous in the same manner as unnecessary fanservice, and neither is it set in a dark setting where rape is commonly depicted. Nor is it gruesome or unpleasant to read in those settings. It's awkward and clumsy at times, and steamy, befitting of its romance tag without being too over the top as most shoujo fall under. It's intense at times, but it's something to be expected from a seinen manga. Overall, it was well-rounded and explored, I'd say.

But ultimately, I can't disregard the ending.
It took me a few years to touch this manga again because of it, but it's not something unreadable after it. It just leaves this bitter taste in your mouth that makes you want to rinse out that makes it hard to pick it up again after the disappointment that first sets in.

... Last updated 6 years ago

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zzzzzz.....

by nozomiEX
6 years ago

Rating: N/A

If you've literally never seen any sappy romance in any form of media in your life, this one's for you. If you HAVE, you'll just sit there stone-faced, rolling your eyes with every "dramatic" development. Turns out the luster of mundane, pedestrian melodrama wears thin pretty quickly.

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A soulful experience... not for anyone (10/10)

by duylinhdong
7 years ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

t's better to be able to cry after a sad story. Your tears will disperse the sorrow, relieving your aching heart. Sometimes you even feel refreshed after a good cry. It's like your own problems are also washed away along with the sadness. It's like the story is a gentle lover telling you that it's okay to weep in her embrace.

Yet there are some sad stories that render you unable even to cry. They just keep haunting you for days until you are forced to adjust your mind in order to forget about them. They just have to put you in a very uncomfortable position as someone who can relate to the characters (especially for Asian men living in East Asia countries). You can see your voice in some of the dialogues, your thoughts in some of their reflections or even your life in some street corner they are walking past. As the story goes on, you can't help but feel a strange affection towards the characters, even though they are flawed or even detestable, because no matter how one claims it to be, a person can never really hate their own souls. When such stories end in nothing but tragedy, you feel as though you lose a part of your soul, as though you are the one suffering. Yet not even a tear could come out. For throughout the length of the story, some events are certainly regrettable but you feel as though you have made those decisions yourself at some points of your life and had to swallow the bitterness to move on and live. You have to stern your heart to act tough in front of no one but yourself. Or else you feel like you might just lose it.

But after a while, when you are calm enough to look back on them again, it is those stories that are the most beautiful. They are not just a simple good read but an experience that you know not everyone can sympathize with. Some people might see the otherwise in those stories but that doesn't bother you. You just want to cherish them very dearly, very privately as they are now a part of your soul to replace what was lost when they ended.

Yes, that is how I would describe Natsu no Zenjitsu - The day before summer, one of the few love stories I place in my heart alongside with Norwegian Wood. This is definitely not your wish-fulfilling romance that'll indulge you in love. Natsu no Zenjitsu has an insightful undertone of maturity and self-revelation hidden delicately behind the romantic theme. The unbearable emptiness it has brought many of the readers is the first bitter taste of adulthood itself, where just dreams and passions will only lead you so far in life, just like Tetsuo and Akira's love, which is destined to end when dawn breaks.

A seinen story at its finest as it exploits mental and emotional maturity among young adults via the soul of a true artist and the heart of a true woman. A must-read for everyone (whether you like it or not) but a treasure for just a selective few.

... Last updated 7 years ago

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It's not the most conclusive ending,

by bossmama
7 years ago

Rating: 9.0 / 10.0

but it ends at the right place.

After all, the mangaka said it's Tetsuo and Akira's story, so it naturally ends when their relationship ends.

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Nice guys/girls finish last

by svyatoslav
8 years ago

Rating: 5.0 / 10.0

That's the lesson the manga expresses. First half of the manga was well written and the art is gorgeous but the character development of the main lead starts to look unnatural from somewhere in the middle, very schematic so I had trouble connecting with the emotions of most of the cast after that.

I feel like the author tries to show an artistic personality searching for his soul but fails miserably in the end as he just comes off like a teenager going through a phase.

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Bittersweet

by Dr. Love
9 years ago

Rating: N/A

One of the better younger male / older female romances around, though certainly not a conventional romance. The characters are written with care and the sketch-like quality of the art gives a comfy nostalgic feeling.

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prev comments say it all

by rockerpunk
9 years ago

Rating: 8.6 / 10.0

I loved it. even though I'm someone who usually prefers fluff. gorgeously done even if Aoki is a pain, but that's how some people are - would he have changed if she held on? who knows. terribly realistic down to the ending - which I would've liked to see head in another direction =/ or get some kind of closure on.

... Last updated 9 years ago

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Great , Although......

by SSJR2
9 years ago

Rating: 8.0 / 10.0

Damn man its sad this has to end. I really liked this as an romantic story or at least the majority of it. The art is pretty good even though its really sketchy and just the whole older lady younger dude premise was interesting. Plus i like that this series doesnt tease the romantic relationships for most of the series which is incredibly annoying for many manga. Considering that this is seinen genre and the leads are older the do a lot of things with out the bull like sleeping together and such and not just in a fan service way but in a real conveying feeling type of way too.
Pretty much the best and worst thing about this series is the two main leads. The best thing about this story is Akira of course. She is that traditional type of Japanese beauty (the "Yamato Nadeshiko" if you will) who has a really loving and caring personality. She really goes out her way a lot for the selfish ass lead and has a pretty cool go with the flow type personality for a traditional type of women. Any dude would be really lucky to be with her man. She probably made most of the readers fall for her with her nice personality and beauty.
And then theres Tetsuo the male lead. Hes pretty much an antisocial, tsundere, low self esteem, artist, college student with a lot of other personality issues, he doesnt like being helped by anyone and he pretty much only does his own thing while looking down on himself and his talents. I mean i get the lead starts out like this and it will take the female to help him change but it was hard dealing with his selfishness, immaturity and to some times disregard of Akira when he has such an amazing thing. I mean there were moments when it looked like he was changing and growing on me more towards the end but He and the ending really frustrated me.

Man Akira spend most of the series trying to win him over, cater to him(in more ways then one) and help him grow as a person all to just be rejected in the end come on. Basically during their really intimate relationship he starts to look at another girl whos constantly smiling and eventually falls for the girl he doesnt know instead of akira yea wow. I saw hints of this early on but i was really Really hoping he would stop being an idiot and finally realize what he has with Akira. I mean the girl (hinami) is already dating his Friend and really is into him so Tetsuo has no chance but still he kept liking her more than the lead and Finally broke up with her.......yea. All in all i really dislike the ending and i really dont like Tesui for being a selfish douche all the way too the end. Then again he really didnt deserve Akira in the first place. I really hope to get a spin off with akira finding a next (and better) dude or something.
Its sad that a great series has to end with such a bad after taste. Part of me just feels like thats this authors forte now. To make a romance that has a bitter ending much like Koi Kaze.......Just to add drama and sad or mixed feelings. Honestly beside a happen ending i which it either ended half way through chapter32 or right at chapter 34. Chapter 34 sucked but atleast it seemed like a clean break but once i saw 35 i was hoping it was an epilogue where both are doing better or that later on Tetsuo selfishly came back to her as it is his personality. However i just got to see him be a super selfish dick one last time which sucked more then 34. I dont care if im biased, but after reading a long series i always want a happy ending especially if they went through a lot in it. It only seems fair to me

I know i kept going on and on but i was really into this one for a while. Over all despite my issues with the lead i think this is still worth reading and i hope to get more similar work from this artist;though some that doesnt do drama for dramas sake would be nice.

... Last updated 9 years ago

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