Bridging the gap between friendship and dating.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Takako Shimura
Translation/Adaptation: John Werry
What They Say
It’s time for the Fujigaya theater festival again, and this year Akira and her friends have chosen an ambitious Japanese play. Not only will it seriously challenge their acting abilities, but the number of characters in it means they’ll need all hands on deck to pull it off. But ever since Fumi admitted that she had feelings for Akira, their friendship has been a little awkward. Will the forced intimacy of collaborating on the play help them work things out, or make things worse?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Akira is feeling awkward regarding Fumi admitting she is interested in being intimate with her. Fumi recognizes her uneasiness and tells Akira to forget it and to just be friends with her. So, on the day of Fujigaya theater festival, Fumi and Akira try to remain just friends even though Fumi has brought her flowers and called her cute. Akira is nervous, but Fumi gives her the encouragement she needs and the play is a success.
Meanwhile, Haru is figuring out that her sister’s girlfriend is actually one of her teachers. She is also confronted with the fact that Fumi has told her is also in love with a girl. Ko also has suggested to Kyoko they cancel their engagement as it seems uncertain and fake even though Kyoko seems to enjoy staying at his place as she doesn’t like going home. She suggests staying engaged, but Ko isn’t interested in marrying someone who just wants to escape their own home.
A chapter flashbacks on Fumi’s relationship with her childhood and first love, her cousin Chizu. The next chapter focuses on summer vacation. Akira is tasked with inviting Fumi to Haru’s grandfather’s inn during their break. All the girls go together and enjoy open air baths and lots of good food. Akira and Fumi end up in the same room and the tension thickens as they take baths with each other.
Yasuko is coming back to Japan and now Kyoko has to face her feelings regarding her. After the time at inn, Fumi and Akira spend the night together when it’s time to study for tests. Fumi says she likes Akira again and first Akira responds that she doesn’t feel that way, but Fumi is special to her. Despite that, Akira suggests they date to see where it leads.
Fumi and Akira’s dating life begins. It’s full of nervousness and insecurities, especially on Fumi’s behalf while Akira takes the initiative to invite her out on a date. The date isn’t too much different than their times together as friends, but this time their day ends with a kiss. Their next hurdle to jump over is Christmas.
In Summary:
Viz Signature books are always a nice, though more expensive version, of their usual staples in the Shojo Beat or Shonen Jump collections. The larger size, cover flaps and color inserts are beautiful editions to this story. There is also a color inserts that separates the two volumes which is a nice touch.
From a reviewer’s point of view, this story is difficult to summarize its content. In one chapter, it easily has up to five several short scenes that are only a few pages in length. This is very different from most manga where a chapter usually focuses on a specific character or situation. This is nice for reading, however. What is also nice about this style of storytelling is that it feels like it’s more like watching a story versus reading one. It also keeps the story interesting, moving and more in depth, but for some it might be distracting and confusing.
In addition to the gentle LGBTQ story that the creator tells, it also carefully spans generations. It also focuses on a variety of relationships and the view of many of the characters on those different relationship. It’s a very sweet and loving story of first love and second loves and finding where and who you belong with.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: B-
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Teen Plus
Released By: Viz Signature
Release Date: March 20, 2018
MSRP: $24.99
