Renai No Kamisama Ni Ie
This is one of those beautifully quiet and elliptical love stories that Akemi Takaido exceeds at. The main character Ryuuzaki, a star runner, finds himself grappling with his feelings about his childhood friend, who has recently found himself a new boyfriend. Coincidentally, he also crosses path with Toya, the star swimmer of the school, an idol among the girls, and possibly someone who knew Ryuuzaki a long time ago. There's a romance, but it's in the style of Wong Kar Wai's "In the Mood For Love" -- all looks and brief touches and pained conversations. Like all the best romances, it's not obvious, but convincing, why Ryuuzaki and Toya might be drawn to each other, and they meet first on an emotional and intellectual level before moving onto clandestine flirting. The first four chapters -- the only part that's been scanlated -- wraps up Ryuuzaki's arc with his childhood friend and hints at the beginning of Toya and Ryuuzaki's own scandal. I'm a sucker, as always, for Takaido's pacing and goofy humor, and how she surrounds all her main characters with tons of their own friends so that the romance is rarely the only thing on the table. Her art is cool and sultry at the same time, and there's a star quality to her characters that is consistently intriguing
Oboreru Sakana