Blue Box, Vol. 6

アオのハコ [Ao no Hako] #6

by Kouji Miura

Taiki Inomata loves badminton but has a long way to go before he can reach nationals.

When Taiki sees upperclassman Chinatsu Kano practicing her heart out on the girls’ basketball team, he falls for her hard. After an unexpected turn of events brings the two closer together, sports might not be the first thing on their minds anymore!

As summer draws to an end, Taiki realizes he may never be able to close the gap between himself and Chinatsu. He takes her to the beach to celebrate her birthday anyway, hoping to cheer her up after a grueling loss. However, their adventure goes awry when an unexpected storm forces them closer than ever before!

Genres: Manga, Romance, Sports, Comics, Graphic Novels, Japanese Literature, Slice Of Life

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Anna Quilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

lots happening...
Chinatsu's birthday brings Taiki and her closer..
Hina tells Taiki how she feels about him
....and later tells Chinatsu.

[Grace Arango · Rating 4 out of 5]

This romantic slow-burn is giving me tons of anxiety

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hina moves forward, and Taiki is caught up in it. Chinatsu stays the same, and Taiki is caught up in it. And, then, Chinatsu moves out, and, yes, Taiki is caught up in it. There’s a lot of that going around this volume.

Hina rules. She absolutely rules. These reviews have largely become the ‘let’s reiterate how great a character Hina is’ show, but I cannot over-emphasize how much she brings to an already good series.

We come back from her dancing around the issue last volume to her flat-out confessing to Taiki, bold as brass… which tracks, honestly. And she knows that he’s pining for Chinatsu, but Hina’s not going to let him forget she exists (or her feelings, which provides some very fun moments throughout) even as she cheers him on with her own rival.

I wouldn’t say it’s mature, but the phrase ‘I want to see the person I like doing well’ is peppered through this volume and that can apply to more than one scenario. It’s a real interesting take on a romance.

And the story calls Chinatsu out with one of those ‘terribly relevant to the plot’ TV shows that tends to air during fictional narratives and she is clearly not an idiot about anybody’s feelings, but she’s also not as forthcoming as Hina.

Which, honestly, is fine. Chinatsu is her own person and I like the obvious difference between her and Hina, even if she might be getting slightly upstaged by the latter at every turn. It’s just her nature and I like that she acknowledges that it’s not her to be as forward.

I wouldn’t even say a lot happens in this volume, minus Chinatsu moving out for a very good reason that actually does something with the forced cohabitation trope that I grumbled about in volume one. That’s some sharp maneuvering if I do say so.

And if not a lot happens, well, like another manga I just read, it doesn’t happen in a very interesting fashion. This feels like a real coming-of-age story that’s written so well that I just like following it even as it’s doing the school festival bit.

I mean, the way Taiki turns out to be an incredibly reliable helper for his class is a great turn. There’s definitely a fair amount of silliness to the story, but it lands on a more believable side than even a lot of shojo manage to do.

Yeah, it does the ‘we’re stranded together’ thing between two people, but it’s still grounded. Part of it is also that the art doesn’t go crazy with the chibis or wild takes. It grounds things in a way that makes the story stand out a bit more.

It could also just be the lack of fourth wall breaks or comedy that isn’t rooted in the characters, but this really works because of said characters. I think my only complaint is Taiki’s guy friend having his own unrequited crush on Hina, which feels a little too predictable.

Still, whatever, I love this story. It’s one of the few manga that just makes me want to start the series over from the beginning again and just enjoy it straight through once more.

5 stars - yeah, it’s on the list of ‘start at 5 stars and work backwards’ manga for me and that’s some rarefied company these days. It has a touch more realism that I wouldn’t want in all my manga, but in this case works absolutely perfectly for the story.

[natsuki jam #1 fan • wari · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’m glad the distance between taiki and chinatsu is gone but now i’m worried that it’ll come back considering hina told chinatsu that she told taiki she’s in love with him. i love hina but i need her to find someone else asap 😭

[siren ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

THERE WAS ONLY ONE [HOTEL ROOM] ~ !!
this love triangle is going to murder me ok? ;_;

[Rafmuaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm happy with this volume, Taiki and Chinatsu's relationship becomes close again after Chinatsu apologized to Taiki. There are many sweet and romantic moments between the two of them. But there's also some concern regarding Taiki and Chi's relationship, because Hina openly confessed her feelings for Taiki to Chi...🧍🏻🧍🏻

[Hisgirl85 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Yep, this series is just enjoyably good and so beautifully drawn.

[Professional Kermy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blue Box Volume 6 continues to be a heartfelt and inspiring read. This volume dives deeper into Taiki’s journey, both in badminton and his relationship with Chinatsu, offering a perfect balance of personal growth and emotional depth. Taiki’s determination to overcome obstacles in his sport is more evident than ever, and the intensity of his struggles and triumphs makes his journey feel incredibly rewarding.

The development of his bond with Chinatsu is one of the highlights of this volume. Their dynamic evolves in such a natural way, and their moments together are tender and meaningful. I love how their relationship doesn’t overshadow their individual growth, but rather complements it beautifully.

The pacing remains spot-on, with every chapter building on the emotional tension. The artwork continues to be fantastic, capturing the characters’ emotions perfectly. By the end of this volume, I was once again left wanting more, eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Taiki’s story. Volume 6 is a perfect continuation of everything that makes Blue Box so special—sweet, inspiring, and truly captivating.

[Valeria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pasó mucho tiempo en que pensé que habían abandonado la traducción de esto y me di cuenta que la página donde la leía cambió de "fuente", qué sorpresa cuando vi que habían como 15 capítulos para leer 😍 Este volumen (suponiendo que sigue la costumbre de 10 cap, sería del 51 al 60) fue entretenido porque me metieron romance y todo el drama de Taiki porque le andaban ofreciendo besos y por otro lado Chinatsu cada vez más cercana fbusiaa PERO además fue el tremendo partido de práctica contra el lolito seco de la otra escuela y *spoiler* LE GANÓ! Cuando pensaba que estaba entrando al hoyo este hueón va y se saca un fighting spirit de la raja y demostró todo su constante trabajo, amé mucho eso porque esto es lo que me enganchó al principio de la historia: hay romance pero estos cabros aman sus deportes 🥺

[Serina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and light hearted read, slow as always but I’m not complaining. It’s always a good time to read this series. I love chono, I just wish that Taiki took her more seriously and I really hope that Taiki learn to do that in the upcoming volumes a bit more. Chinatsu and Taiki kinda reminded me of a long distance relationship in this volume when they couldn’t see each other that much, and I am interested to see how they will tackles certain things in the future and how they expressed themselves. The best thing they did was communicate with each other why they couldn’t meet each other in that morning and coordinated - green flag right there. I am really excited to see what could become of Chono’s and Kyo’s relationship in the future. But at the same time, I really want her to develop more relationship with Taiki. T^T

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love is messy. Throw in two teenagers trying to also excel at the sport they love and it can get even more stressful.

I enjoyed that the last volume ended on a big moment and we go right into it. Shooting your shot both metamorphically and in reality. Two girls trying their best, neither unsure how to handle this right. And at the same time our main lead trying to figure out how to balance his sports training with also falling in love, and not wanting to break his best friend's heart.

Overall a great chapter in a story that balances the love, sports, and coming of age elements all pretty damn well.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh no, Chinatsu's mom is back because her grandfather needs surgery so for the upcoming month or so, Chinatsu is going to live with her mom in a furnished apartment-- how will that change Taiki and Chinatsu's connection when they're not under the same roof?

Of course Hina shares her feelings for Taiki that complicates things and Chinatsu gets appointed to a leadership position on her basketball team, but she can't help but feel a little bad because they lost a critical game and she blames herself.

The slow unravel includes shared experiences like Chinatsu's birthday and a beach excursion as special moments that set off volume six.

[Thursday,nightmare · Rating 4 out of 5]

อ้ะ ลืมรีวิวเล่มนี้ เล่ม 6 เป็นช่วงเทศกาลโรงเรียนที่แต่ละชั้นปีจะต้องทำกิจกรรม เหมือน open house ให้ต่างโรงเรียนมาเยี่ยม มาเล่นกิจกรรม ห้องไทกิ เป็นเด็กปี 1 ก็มักจะทำละคร จึงแสดงเรื่องสโนว์ไวท์ มีฮินะจังเป็นนางเอก และห้องพี่จินัตสึทำคาเฟ่ หลังจากที่แข่งขันอินเตอร์ไฮจบ พี่จินัตสึแพ้กลับมาจึงขอให้ไทกิปลอบใจ ทั้งคู่จึงพากันไปเที่ยวทะเลหลังเลิกเรียนและติดฝนอยู่ด้วยกัน~ แต่ไอ้หนูไทกิของเราเติบโตมาอย่างดี คงระยะห่างไว้ นอนโซฟาม้านั่งแทน พี่จินัตสึเองก็เริ่มรู้สึกว่าระยะห่างที่ตัวเองไปขีดไว้ไม่ดีต่อใจแล้ว คุณพี่จะทำยังไงดีน้า~

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5
Blue Box continues to be a delightful story. It's wonderful to see Taiki and Chinatsu learning how to approach their friendship and potentially deeper feelings. I also appreciate that Hina is a likable character despite how she complicates the main character's relationship. In this volume, we get some great moments and deepening of the main character's friendship. I'm excited to see where this goes next.

[Latifah S Ningrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, the slow burning relationship in this manga appears and is really anxiety too. Hina is really cool to be able to express her feelings and talk to Chinatsu. On the other hand, there are a lot of things that Chinatsu experienced in this volume, making me want to hug her.

The moments when she failed to win, when she chatted with his mother about drama, when she was tryung to be equal in height with Takki, or when she met Hina at the photocopier made me want to support her completely.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

ugh I love hina so much!! I'm so proud of her for confessing and also fully acknowledging taiki's feelings for chinatsu. she doesn't push him, they're still friends, and her reminders of her feelings are so straightforward. taiki and chinatsu, meanwhile, continue to take infinitesimal steps forward...

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume was super cute! Hina told Taiki that she likes him, but she’s not looking for an answer. What will Taiki do? Taiki and Chinatsu go together to the beach to celebrate Chinatsu’s birthday and they had to stay together overnight. I really like Chinatsu’s relationship with Taiki, it looks like she’s slowly trying to get closer to him

[Kristin DeGarmo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like that we get more of Kano’s inner thoughts. I wonder why she wants to see his practice match if she doesn’t have feelings for Taiki? I feel bad for Hina though. I get the reality of it, but I mean he likes someone else. Anyway, I’ll have to wait for the library to get the next volumes of the series to read more.

[Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Uniaopelosrepresentantesdesalacansados

Deus, eu amo a Hina e a Chinatsu, Taiki é o menino mais sortudo do mundo
E eu gosto muito da arte do mangá, é aconchegante e familiar
Acho que esse é o único triângulo amoroso que eu suporto (normalmente eu odeio triângulos amorosos)

[thi · Rating 3 out of 5]

HINA 🫣

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapters 44-52
Read via SJ simulpub

[Ingrid Hernández · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.15⭐

[Grace Ziehm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[N Dorville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hina you have a BEAST of a confidence

[Mik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tbh ya me está aburriendo el drama que tienen.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to adore this sporty highschool romance series. The angsty love triangle is giving me anxiety though; I have OPINIONS on who I want to work out.

[ReadingInRedLondon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

Dropping a half-star just because there's a little bit of a lull now, and Chono's character is being a bit annoying. I'm hoping we'll see more growth for her later

[Tatiana Alejandra de Castro Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

La tensión está al máximo y aún así la historia fluye a la perfección.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hina confessed her feelings to taiki then she tells chinatsu that she told taiki that she in love with him.

Not ready for her heart to be broken

[MIL · Rating 3 out of 5]

兩個女人的戰爭