The story was so sad, I cried throughout the whole thing.. (well maybe not in the beginning.) It's very good but freaking SAD! Why must I read sad stories?! I hate them but I love them at the same time! If you hate them this is not a read for you because I guarantee you will cry. :'( I'm so sad.. Anyways, yeah, good, sad and really touching.

...touching. my english is pretty bad and so i don't like to write comments, but i have to comment this one. i tried not to cry because of my working buddies sitting right in front of me but i failed.
nothing more to add.

I was searching for a new manga to read and found this. I read a bunch of the reviews and a lot of them said it was such a tragic story, and its very moving. I've cried in a bunch of other manga, but this kept me in tears for a long time!!! I reread it about 3 times today, and this is literally the best manga I've ever read by far. The art was pretty simple, but the story was still touching. I hope many of you can come to understand the moral of this story about the bond of the 2 people and how they come to forgive the sins they committed.The ending was the one that practically pierced my heart. Though it was pretty tragic, it still made me smile, and gave me a reason why its important to live

When I started reading this, I was mentally prepared for a sad story, but I never thought it would be this touching.

Still when I think about it my heart aches, but in a good way.


Consider it a MUST read!

this was just so beautiful. it was melancholic and moving. i was crying at the end of this. it was just so beautiful and i can't even describe how amazing this is and how much i loved it. read it. don't think about it. just do it.

I was browsing the site looking for something new to read, and came upon this. I saw the cover art, and thought it looked somewhat elegant, and beautiful.
Some might dislike the ending, hoping for a more "happily ever after" effect, but this series truly did play out beautifully; fairy tale ending or not.
It was nice to see the characters slowly open up to each other, literally changing each other as time ticked on. The bond that they created is one that changed their views on life, and made every passing day, one worth living.
I had a feeling that the conclusion would be along the lines of what I've read, and it has a more realistic touch to it because of just that. The events in the story seem to be quite realistic in general, so it's easier to relate to the character's hardships.
This series will most likely pulls at your heart strings, and it's one that I definitely do not regret reading.

Well, even though the author is not her, since it was Yumeka Sumomo's work I really wanted to read this for a while, and did.
And I don't regret reading. You might think that the story is predictable or ordinary, or might not like the ending, but it is,for me, perfect the way it is. Another ending would made it less meaningful.
The story probably wont make you impossibly happy, or excited or sad, and that is what makes you actually feel. I don't really like writing comments, and especially ones like that, but I really recommend it.

I can honestly say I've never read a manga like this. It's so sad but so amazing and I'm not one to freely use "amazing" to describe everything that catches my interest. This truly is amazing. I cried so hard at the end I had to stop reading and it took me a few minutes to collect myself before I could get through the last couple of pages. No manga has ever touched me like this before. Even now as I think about it my eyes water. Deep characters, gripping story and so well written and easy to follow. One of the best mangas I've ever read.

Don't ponder whether you should read this or not, just do it.

This story is a beautiful story. It’s such a sad, tragic and gripping story that I was crying at the end of it. I really wish I could read the novel this manga is based off of, but I am quite content just being able to read the manhwa. This manhwa had great depth to it, it really grabbed your emotions and swept them away with the well developed characters, and there were some very interesting philosophical ideas and ideals brought up, that while I may not have agreed with all of them they were all very interesting and made you think.

Plot- The plot if very captivating, it’s a very tragic plot line, and oh so very unique, it is very much thrust forward by the character’s as their emotions and relationships with other character’s propel the story forward instead of an outside force pushing them to action. The plot is magnificent and I enjoyed it so immensely, the pace is wonderful and the whole story was just so beautifully done.

Characters- Wonderful, I know I’ve been using that word a lot, but really the characters are wonderful. Each one was so well developed, their relationships explained and changed through the story. The two mains were expertly done, each one started out at a dark place, and slowly through the story you watched as they drew away from that darkness. The change within them is so wonderful to watch, and both are so endearing you can not help but want them to come to a place where they are happy. As I said before, this manga relies heavily on the character’s to push forward the plot, so the relationships between characters are extremely important. Thankfully all the relationships work so well, they are well developed, believable and change and sometimes deepen as time goes on.

Art- A bit simplistic but it works very well with this manga, maintaining a beautiful quality while remaining simple.

Other- Warning: this manga is sad, dark, sad, sad, and sad. I can not stress how sad it is! (Hence the reason it is under tragedy) But it’s such a beautiful sadness and with such hope that… well that just makes it better. While it is full of dark pasts, death and cruelty it’s message is one of light, hope and forgiveness that is very heartwarming and done in an amazing way. The ending was beautiful, and I really praise the original author for creating such a story and for the mangaka for changing it so wonderfully into a manga format. It’s a truly dazzling work.

10/10- Loved it!

... Last updated on January 3rd, 2015, 2:34pm

This is one of the most touching stories I have read... It’s no wonder that the novelist is famous! Although I didn't read the novel, I would say that this manga could have done no better getting the many messages across. The art and style is beautiful and complements the gentle love that develops between the two characters.

I think this story is special because it doesn't make things out of proportion - the most captivating aspect is the amount of realism embedded in the story. The message is clear that these things happen and the various feelings of victims/perpetrators do occur. It has opened my eyes to situations I could never imagine, in a bewitchingly realistic fashion. For example, the full horror of being a child prostitute..not only do you see the horror from a third person perspective, but you can experience the sadness and also the small joys they can find in life.

Surprisingly, this story doesn't make you feel you have just sunk yourself into all hells on earth, but rather you see the working emotions people feel daily. It shows how deep pain which wrecks a person's desire for life, can be unravelled with patience and by opening ones' heart.. It shows the corruptness and darkness of life that can pull people to think of ending their lives, and the penetrating hope and love which brings people to overcome this.

Many people have expressed their likes or dislikes for this...I personally think that hope and love exists and that they are main elements which help pull people through times of suffering. Otherwise, other than madness, what else keeps people living when their life feels completely abused? This story isn't saying that everyone is the same..its simply putting forth the idea that people can be saved from their pain and move on in life.
Moreover, I dont think this story is cliché about the unfairness of law/society because if it was: then why wasn't the prison warden this cold-hearted jerk that prevented clergies to visit Yuu, rather than Inoue-the-warden who played music for Yuu and arranged the last scene? And if it was, it wouldn't bother portraying the pain of the victims feel too, from third person as well as from Aunt Monica - it would have just showed the courthouse judging, devoid of emotions. But it didn't and showed the complicated feelings from both sides. More importantly, The ending portrays the flaws of real society...the world isn't so idealistic that every criminal would be captured and put into prison, and sometimes the wrong people are put into prison to compensate the pain of others..
Since some issues are so sensitive, it is ultimately the choice of the victim. Sometimes you just cant expect the victim to save themselves as well as be a hero.

Brief thoughts on the subplots/backgrounds of Juri, and a little of Yuu:

Hmm : | This story made me cry whilst reading the end, and afterwards... but a sweet feeling is left behind because to its core, this story is about two people who had lost most of their hope in life, but by finding each other they rediscover happiness, love, and learns to see the joy in living.

... Last updated on June 15th, 2011, 4:30am