this is really deep.. slow plot but very good.. old and gold its makes my heart happy and sad in the same time..

I loved this manga so much I had to buy it. Unfortunately, as I was waiting for the 8th volume, news of the author's death reached me. I cannot tell you how sad I was that she would not be able to see this series through. Autism is something that is so, so hard to understand and this series made it so much easier to understand. I was so touched by this story that it will forever be in my heart.

I am heartbroken that this story will not conclude as I really would have loved to read more about Hikaru and his family.

BUT I 100% RECOMMEND YOU READ IT!!

This manga is something everyone should read in their life. There's something to learn for everyone, be it children, their parents, or the decision makers in the society.

A must read for those working/interested in teaching, volunteering, child psychology and psychiatry.
A must read for parents and would be parents, or even teenagers. 🙂

I'm glad I took this up for a manga challenge despite the length and the art style of manga written before 2000s (which i usually avoid for no particular reason).

Amazing story, amazing characters, beautifully drawn, well written, this manga is a gem.

Reread value: 10/10

... Last updated on June 27th, 2019, 9:24am

the story was good and got me really drawn in to the characters, but it was longer than I wanted it to be. and it's too bad there really isn't a definite ending because of the mangaka's death, I wished for a happy ending showing what kind of work hikaru would have found as an adult.

Reading this manga had been one of the greatest experience for me. Back then, when I was a volunteer for the summer day camp, I have helped watch over an autism kid. It was hard because I didn't quite understand what exactly is autism. All I know he had a hard time learning and doesn't seem to understand certain things. To make it worse, no one knew about it nor there was any directions on how to take care of him except to make sure he doesn't run loose. So we just pretty much watched over the kid and played catch with him when other classmates were doing their lesson.

It was when I picked up this book when I fully realize what really autism is and how we could had work with them. I regretted that I didn't know this sooner. It was fully of information, the emotions of a mother who discovered that her son is different, emotions of the family love, etc. It really touched my heart and I wonder why no one with the knowledge of autism taught us about that in my early youth. I found myself interested that there are many ways to help teach autism kids about the world and also many ways to praise them for doing the right thing. I also find myself relating to the teachers who were ignorant about autism and they kept doing the wrong thing, which in-turn frightened the autism children or failed to understand what exactly the children are going through. However, I see them slowly understand the children and learn to be patience and see the world through the children's eyes.

There are also short stories (or essays) at the end of each volume from other parents who also have a family member that was autism and what were their feelings.

I heard the author died and my heart goes out to her and her family. She had tried to spread autism in an interesting way so that the audience could be aware of it and still enjoy the manga at the same time. When I read the first volume at the bookstore, I knew I had to buy it and so I did. I'm now waiting for Yen Press to tell us about the last volume, as they said on their website.

... Last updated on July 3rd, 2011, 6:31pm