I feel like I’ve tried to explain what I love to deeply about this series, the characters, and the relationships, but I’ll try one more time and hope that this articulates to others what I loved and whether someone else would love it too.

As of writing this review in 2021, my spouse and I will have been married for ten years next month, and together for about 16 years, with about a year of friendship prior to that. We met in high school and started dating just before I graduated. And we’re still together, quite happy, and celebrated our kids third birthday last month. 

But despite my being someone who found the person I’m going to be spending the rest of my life with at 17, I struggle a lot with stories about teenagers in love. I’ve never found a relationship involving 17-ish year olds relatable or compelling in a sense of believing that they will last more than a couple of years. And I can’t explain why! There’s something about the improbability of finding the person you can commit yourself to at such a young age, EVEN THOUGH I DID 😂

And then along comes Hori and Miyamura and something just clicked and I saw myself and my relationship in these characters. My spouse and I are very different, our relationship and what we’ve been through are very different. Even so, the way Hori and Miyamura came together and commit themselves to each other feels deeply authentic and like something that will last for decades. 

That’s not at all to say this is without flaws and issues. The translation and cultural difference surrounding piercings, tattoos, and self harm are hard to read in places and I don’t agree with everything Hori and Miyamura do. However, their actions, beliefs, and struggles feel entirely age appropriate and real. 

Anyway I think that’s quite enough from me. I cannot recommend this series highly enough.