“You should stop fooling around with older guys… and find yourself someone to love over there, ‘kay?”

Amane is moving from the city to Enoshima for high school and staying with his grandmother. On his way to her house, he is tackled by a large cat, Tarusuke, being chased by a young man named Ryuuji Yamasuge. Ryuuji, whose parents own a restaurant, offers Amane a meal in exchange for catching the cat. Amane gladly accepts the offer but struggles with the steep climb to the restaurant. Once there, he is amazed by the stunning ocean views. As Ryuuji cooks for him, Amane is impressed and feels a connection, although he is hesitant due to sensing heterosexual vibes from Ryuuji. Amane is further captivated when Ryuuji catches him during a romantic stumble, leaving him intrigued about Ryuuji’s age and if they will meet again.

Upon starting high school, Amane is surprised to discover Ryuuji is in the same class. While the girls are fascinated by the charming newcomer, Amane remains uninterested in them. Amane has recognized his homosexuality since middle school, where he faced rejection and never fully recovered. Despite being drawn to Ryuuji, he suppresses his feelings and refuses to acknowledge his attraction. As he settles into school life and grows closer to Ryuuji, Amane falls ill, feeling self-pity but not wanting Ryuuji to see him in a vulnerable state.

Can five chapters, along with a bonus, in a relatively slim volume effectively develop two characters and engage readers to anticipate more? The answer is affirmative, as shown in Maru Kobato’s charming debut featuring intriguing central characters. Amane and Ryuuji’s evolving relationship piques curiosity about their future. The volume, targeted at teenagers, introduces Amane engaging in casual relations with older individuals without graphic descriptions, hinting at past emotional wounds that steer his apprehension towards love. The narrative unfolds gradually, revealing Amane’s past hurt and determination to avoid heartbreak. The story echoes a familiar theme, akin to the ‘Town and Country Mouse’ fable, portraying Ryuuji as the warm-hearted islander captivated by Amane, the alluring newcomer with a mysterious past.

There’s nothing here that we haven’t seen before in slice-of-life Boys’ Love (or romance in general) but nevertheless, there’s a lightness of touch about Maru Kobato’s depiction of Amane and Ryuuji getting to know each other better that’s refreshing but also rings true. The mangaka’s art is done with a light touch but her characters are expressive and the island of Enoshima is portrayed in an attractive way (some readers will remember it from cult favourite fishing anime tsuritama).

The translation for Yen Press is by Avery Hutley and flows nicely, capturing well the chatter of high-school late teens which is fluently conveyed by the lettering of Elena Pizarro Lanzas (although ‘coinky-dink’ is a new one on me!). There is no colour picture inside, sadly, and no translation notes. The mangaka’s Afterword is divided between the front and back inner covers (presumably it was beneath the dust jacket in the original version).

No date for Volume 2 yet from Yen Press (although Amazon suggests it will be August) but in Japan the series is up to five volumes and ongoing, so lots more to look forward to, especially as the mangaka says in her Afterword, “Thankfully I’ve been able to continue the series long enough… to take my time and slowly nurture their love as it blossoms” which is a good enough promise for me (I also hope we see more of Tarusuke, the cat that first brings the two together!).

Our review copy was supplied by Yen Press.