shokiyo's manga / #romance(19)

✰ 3.8 wholesome with more nsfw than i expected (skipped it). both characters are pretty cute and stand out, even the two friends have slightly noticeable personalities. there is some lack of depth but it is as expected with a short romance manga. a few parts became a little hard to follow because of the dialogue. i do love the magical setting and creatures. the art is very clean and nice, especially the coloured panels. it would be wonderful if the author made an extended manga of similar theme. the story as it is is very sweet and feels complete enough for its length.

☆ 4.5 Wonderful characters, clean art, touching story. Massive TW (S.A.) for a character’s past.

☆ 3.8 it feels incomplete and scattered but it is relatively wholesome and lighthearted, minus nakamura’s pervy imagination. i really wish there was more character development, as mc and “ml” were relatively 3D. i would love to see them become closer friends and for mc to step outside of his shell to become confident in himself (as well as hirose), because i saw a lot of potential there. they’re ‘ordinary’ high schoolers exploring who they are, with nakamura also being gay. again, so much potential and relatability. i appreciate the clean art too, very striking.

☆ 3.7 short, not a lot of character building, but still adorable.

☆ 3.48 mostly wholesome compilation of short stories, varying themes and degrees of quality. my biggest gripe is that the main characters across the stories, despite their more distinctive personalities, tend to look too similar. i enjoyed the bicycle and clover stories, especially the bicycle one’s ending. the strawberry one was cute but kind of weird and vague. remaining stories are a little forgettable but the running metaphors are creative. i understand the sentiment. if i were to choose to recommend any of them, i would say read the clover story because of the more poignant characters and dynamics! in itself, it could be a heartwarming and unlikely friendship, regardless of romance. ^^

☆ 4 i cant find a fault with it for what it is. im happy they can be themselves around each other and hope theyll be able to grow and share this side of them with others. cute concept and short one shot done well.

☆ 4 Wholesome with a neatly tied in backstory. I wish there was more characterisation but the manga did well with its length, and both characters do have personality. The extras were the cherries on top. Overall a relaxing and slightly melancholy summer story.

☆ 4 more wholesomeness and lovely characters. id love to meet either mc, as they both have a unique charm and can stand alone as individuals, which is unfortunately rare in bl manga (meaning they have their own lives, identities, friends, etc, and aren’t intrinsically dependent). also wish that there was a continuation to the story because the freshly blooming love seems unrequited, even in the bonus. i would be excited to see junpei and leo happily together in a relationship, as i think it could work out well. they complement each other in a precious way, encouraging growth in both as separate people. finally, ryoji’s kitty (aka. the third lion, haha) is adorable.

☆ 3.35 consent! gorgeous art and cute characters, especially sumire. too bad the author didn't include sumire grown up in the extras. the age gap is a little uncomfortable; however, i assume it is legal. there are sex scenes, yet not too explicit. suguru has a dark past that is slightly glossed over, including some transactions with a teacher i don’t understand completely, so warning for that. it isn’t delved into deeply. also, the dialogue or monologue gets confusingly vague at times. luckily, it doesn’t detract from the story much. points for the characters and beautiful art. other than that, the story is relatively unremarkable.