I've literally just finished this and was desperate to write my review.
In my time I've read a fair amount of manga from many different genres but never before have I been so besotted with a story so quickly. Never have I awwed and smiled and hugged a book so much.
I feel like I can see where this is going and I can't wait to get there. This is a three-volume complete series that follows Sanada and Noshiro's budding friendship. Noshiro has just moved to a new school and is determined to befriend the loner of the school Sanada. Who he finds out, spends his time alone as a result of a rumour that he's gay. That fact that the rumour is true doesn't bother Noshiro, he just wants to be friends with him.
Whilst this manga is super cute it displays a lot of the internalized homophobia present in society. Mainly, the idea that just because a person is gay does not immediately mean they're going to try it on with you. A lot of people who were once friends with Sanada now avoided him, he even tried to hand one a pen back and the guy jumped because he'd put his hand on his shoulder. Noshiro, like an ally avenger flipped the guy judo style. Whilst I cannot attest to the portrayal of this I felt it very accurate and moving. I was uncomfortable that the word 'homo' was used as an identifier for a gay person, but I tried to research and find out if it was simply a culture thing and it was just another word for gay rather than a slur. The way it was used so commonplace seemed to suggest that it was the accepted word but if anyone knows then please do let me know.
I giggled so much too. It was funny in a way I didn't think it would be.
I'm moving onto the next volume straight away.
I loved this.
INFO
Name: That Sky Blue Feeling Volume One
Author: Okura
Publisher: Viz Media
Pages: 258
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0160-5
Rating: 5/5
Have you read That Sky Blue Feeling?
What did you think?
Thank you for reading,
Katie x
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