Description
In present-day rural Japan, Akira Momose returns to her hometown for high school, determined to win over her childhood crush, Hajime Kugayama. She plans their conversations like scenes in a romance, but nerves and terrible timing keep wrecking her scripts. Hajime likes her too, yet keeps misreading her awkward advances. The reader can see what both are thinking long before they manage to say it.
Mutual pining, well-meaning friends, and elaborate misunderstandings drive this warm, playful school romance. Quiet country scenery and little observations about rural life sit alongside wildly exaggerated reactions and physical comedy. The relationship develops in small steps, though the early chapters often return to the same botched flirting routine. It is mostly a light read, with insecurity and occasional bittersweet moments. Comic mishaps can look painful; graphic violence is not a focus.
Pros
- Akira’s earnest efforts make the couple easy to root for.
- Expressive artwork makes both the shy moments and the slapstick land.
- The countryside gives the school romance a cozy sense of place.
Cons
- Early chapters can feel repetitive as flirting keeps turning into misunderstandings.
- Hajime’s exaggerated reactions may be tiring.
Awards
Main characters
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Akira Momose
百瀬アキラ
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Hajime Kugayama
久我山はじめ
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Rendaiji
蓮台寺
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Tsumugi Kintetsu
近鉄つむぎ
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Mone Kajiyashiki
梶屋敷もね