First of all, I think it's an incredible read. It's much more recommendable than the anime because it has a slower, yet entirely justifiable pace. "Yesterday wo Utatte" delves deeply into its characters and their connections to the past. Personally, I believe the first part of the manga is superior since the love element wasn't as prominent (due to the seemingly endless storyline), allowing the mangaka to craft mini arcs of 4 or 5 chapters focusing on specific problems or situations. Later on, this changes, and I feel the story suffers as a result.
Regarding the characters, they aren't immediately likable at first glance, but they do grow on you—except for Shinako. She never really does, though. Nah, I'm kidding; there was a moment midway through the story where she shines, but it's fleeting, and her ending does leave a sour taste. Nevertheless, Haru is delightful to follow, Yuzuhara and Rikuo are engaging as well (Rikuo being much less emotionless compared to his anime counterpart), and every side character leaves a lasting impression.
The character the anime does the most disservice to is Ruo. In the anime, he comes across as a one-note character infatuated with Shinako. However, in the manga, we see a brat with a genuinely rich and complex personality.
Finally (spoilers ahead):
The ending arc was tough to get through—not because it was objectively bad, but because it was heavily centered around love, with almost every relationship revolving around someone pursuing another who doesn't reciprocate, yet still persisting until it works out. It's not that I dislike this trope, but having every relationship play out this way becomes tiresome: Rikuo and Shinako, Haru and Rikuo, Anamiya and Haru, Rou and Shinako (the worst by far), Rou's friend and the girl who assaults people for no reason, the photographer and Haru's boss. EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Moreover, Shinako and Rou's romance feels distasteful and unjustified within the context of the story. It seems like a contrived way to facilitate a mutual breakup between Rikuo and Shinako. It makes no sense and rewards Rou for actions he shouldn't be rewarded for. That said, Rikuo and Haru's relationship remains awesome.
I reactivated my MyAnimeList account solely to write this review after just finishing the manga. I believe some manga enthusiasts might overlook it due to a misunderstanding of its nature, thereby missing out on an exceptional tale.
This isn't your typical manga designed for lighthearted entertainment, primarily aimed at kids and teenagers. Instead, it resembles an extended, serious novel intended to stir the emotions of adult readers—by narrating the journey of several characters as they mature into adulthood. That's quite an undertaking, and I suspect Toume Kei accepted this challenge partly because she was confident her artistic abilities were robust enough to portray characters realistically and maintain reader engagement. The fact that the manga ran in Japan from 1997 until 2015 indicates she succeeded in this regard.
The plot can be summarized as a love quadrangle. There are two young men and two young women, freshly stepping into life post-school, and we follow them as they grapple with who will end up with whom and what career paths they'll pursue. It's no easy feat for them, and even more so for us initially, since none of them appear to understand much about the opposite sex, and naturally, we know nothing about them either.
Much unfolds, and eventually, the pairings are determined. In the process of reaching this resolution, the characters gain significant insights about the opposite sex, themselves, and each other, taking us, the readers, on a prolonged, suspenseful rollercoaster ride. The story is deceptively simple.
However, the characters are anything but. They are complex and resolute individuals, making them highly intriguing and often enigmatic. Why is she acting this way? Why is he so clueless? And so forth. It mirrors real life, where you can never fully grasp the people you know and care about. This is the core greatness of the story—it utilizes manga to tell a wholly realistic narrative and does so effectively.
In brief, this is an exceptionally realistic portrayal of earnest young Japanese individuals navigating the most pivotal early phase of their lives, making it a thoroughly captivating read.
I've never written a review for an anime, let alone a manga, but HOLY SHIT THIS WAS GOOD. The art style was a bit off-putting at first, but I got used to it—it wasn't bad, just unique in a good way. But that story... man, that story was like God Himself came down to Earth and handed me a dollar.
In all honesty, I'm giving this a 10/10. I don't even know what genre this falls under, but I loved it. When the characters grow and evolve throughout the story, it reminded me of other greats like "Kokoro Connect" and "Darling in the Franxx" (though it's been a while since I re-watched those). BUT, I DID HAVE ONE ISSUE: Shinako. Her character didn't sit well with me throughout the whole story, but I won't spoil anything for you guys ;)
READ THE MANGA. IT'S GOOD. (Not sure if I'll watch the anime though...)
This manga had me crying by the end, which is something all great stories should do. And it made me want to write a review, so here we are :)
A complex love story with relatable characters that evoke deep empathy. As far as I can recall, only a few series have stirred similar emotions in me, namely Toradora and Sukarasou, but with less comedy and a more somber atmosphere.
It's not merely a simple love triangle or even a square; it's more like a full-blown tournament bracket!
The series introduces numerous characters in the manga, further complicating the already tangled relationships among the main characters. Unfortunately, the anime adaptation fell short by omitting and altering crucial content.
This is a masterfully written romance, but it's not for those seeking something heartwarming. The author skillfully portrays a sense of despair while still leaving a sliver of hope to hold onto. Consequently, I didn't anticipate a flawless ending—something I had resigned myself to dreaming about.
Yeah, this is my review of the anime, though I'm just jotting it down here.
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Regarding the characters, they aren't immediately likable at first glance, but they do grow on you—except for Shinako. She never really does, though. Nah, I'm kidding; there was a moment midway through the story where she shines, but it's fleeting, and her ending does leave a sour taste. Nevertheless, Haru is delightful to follow, Yuzuhara and Rikuo are engaging as well (Rikuo being much less emotionless compared to his anime counterpart), and every side character leaves a lasting impression.
The character the anime does the most disservice to is Ruo. In the anime, he comes across as a one-note character infatuated with Shinako. However, in the manga, we see a brat with a genuinely rich and complex personality.
Finally (spoilers ahead):
The ending arc was tough to get through—not because it was objectively bad, but because it was heavily centered around love, with almost every relationship revolving around someone pursuing another who doesn't reciprocate, yet still persisting until it works out. It's not that I dislike this trope, but having every relationship play out this way becomes tiresome: Rikuo and Shinako, Haru and Rikuo, Anamiya and Haru, Rou and Shinako (the worst by far), Rou's friend and the girl who assaults people for no reason, the photographer and Haru's boss. EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Moreover, Shinako and Rou's romance feels distasteful and unjustified within the context of the story. It seems like a contrived way to facilitate a mutual breakup between Rikuo and Shinako. It makes no sense and rewards Rou for actions he shouldn't be rewarded for. That said, Rikuo and Haru's relationship remains awesome.
This isn't your typical manga designed for lighthearted entertainment, primarily aimed at kids and teenagers. Instead, it resembles an extended, serious novel intended to stir the emotions of adult readers—by narrating the journey of several characters as they mature into adulthood. That's quite an undertaking, and I suspect Toume Kei accepted this challenge partly because she was confident her artistic abilities were robust enough to portray characters realistically and maintain reader engagement. The fact that the manga ran in Japan from 1997 until 2015 indicates she succeeded in this regard.
The plot can be summarized as a love quadrangle. There are two young men and two young women, freshly stepping into life post-school, and we follow them as they grapple with who will end up with whom and what career paths they'll pursue. It's no easy feat for them, and even more so for us initially, since none of them appear to understand much about the opposite sex, and naturally, we know nothing about them either.
Much unfolds, and eventually, the pairings are determined. In the process of reaching this resolution, the characters gain significant insights about the opposite sex, themselves, and each other, taking us, the readers, on a prolonged, suspenseful rollercoaster ride. The story is deceptively simple.
However, the characters are anything but. They are complex and resolute individuals, making them highly intriguing and often enigmatic. Why is she acting this way? Why is he so clueless? And so forth. It mirrors real life, where you can never fully grasp the people you know and care about. This is the core greatness of the story—it utilizes manga to tell a wholly realistic narrative and does so effectively.
In brief, this is an exceptionally realistic portrayal of earnest young Japanese individuals navigating the most pivotal early phase of their lives, making it a thoroughly captivating read.
In all honesty, I'm giving this a 10/10. I don't even know what genre this falls under, but I loved it. When the characters grow and evolve throughout the story, it reminded me of other greats like "Kokoro Connect" and "Darling in the Franxx" (though it's been a while since I re-watched those). BUT, I DID HAVE ONE ISSUE: Shinako. Her character didn't sit well with me throughout the whole story, but I won't spoil anything for you guys ;)
READ THE MANGA. IT'S GOOD. (Not sure if I'll watch the anime though...)
This manga had me crying by the end, which is something all great stories should do. And it made me want to write a review, so here we are :)
It's not merely a simple love triangle or even a square; it's more like a full-blown tournament bracket!
The series introduces numerous characters in the manga, further complicating the already tangled relationships among the main characters. Unfortunately, the anime adaptation fell short by omitting and altering crucial content.
This is a masterfully written romance, but it's not for those seeking something heartwarming. The author skillfully portrays a sense of despair while still leaving a sliver of hope to hold onto. Consequently, I didn't anticipate a flawless ending—something I had resigned myself to dreaming about.
Yeah, this is my review of the anime, though I'm just jotting it down here.
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